Post by Kale Kaizan on Jun 19, 2017 4:19:03 GMT -5
♫You mean no good, treacherously.♫
♫Should I pull back the veil?♫
Played by:
”Umm, I’m not even sure what this is asking. Clarification, please?”
Cody
♫Seasons change me, but they won’t change my core!♫
Name:
”Hello, my name is Kale Rumada Kaizan. It is very nice to meet you.”
Kale Rumada Kaizan
♫I count the days that pass me by♫
Age:
”My age? Hmm, that’s a good question. I don’t have any records, but I’ve been told I look like I’m in my late teens, so like seventeen? Ish.”
It is unknown how old Kale really is, but he does appear to be around seventeen.
♫Born and bred the masters of ourselves.♫
Gender:
”I mean, I don’t exactly check all the time, but I think I’m a guy. Unless something’s changed. ”
Male
♫Never has the blood in my veins flowed so fiercely♫
Race:
”I’m totally just a human. Promise.”
Demon. Actually, Kale is a Demon Lord, but he does not remember that and has lost access to his full power. Therefore, it does not really matter, much.
♫Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?♫
Sexual Orientation:
”Hey, that’s a little bit personal, isn’t it? But to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it. It’s optional, right?”
Heterosexual, but has no real interest in romance.
♫Better is one day in your house♫
House:
”What is this, Harry Potter? Do I get to wear a funny hat? No? Well, there goes all the fun. Can I, like, put the names in a hat and pick one at random?“
Kale is a member of house Baudin, oddly enough. Those who really know him see that he would belong in Aldaron much more than Baudin, while those that don’t know him would fit him more into Glenice. It is quite the mystery how he ended up where he is, but he does not seem to have a problem with it.
♫Sittin’ in the back of my next class nappin’ got up gave a speech and bowed to the clapping.♫
Classes:
”Oh great, I knew it wasn’t going to be all fun and games. Can I test out of stuff? Or at least try to, I guess.“
Kale takes Calculus I, General Chemistry II, Ancient History, Ancient Literature, Magic 101, Magical Creatures, and Magical Theories.
♫My purpose is so clear!♫
Occupation:
”Umm, I’m a student here? Am I supposed to have a job? This is the first I’ve heard of that.“
Kale is in his second year at the Academy, though his classification is Junior.
♫I wake up every evening with a big smile on my face.♫
Likes:
”Things I like, hmm. Well, hanging out with friends is always good, right? Oh, and I like sweets. I’m also a good cook, and it’s fun to cook with other people; as helpers, not ingredients, of course!“ That wasn’t suspicious at all, right? “What else, let’s see… the color blue is fun. Oh, and orange. Pranks are pretty awesome, especially when everyone laughs; not so much when someone actually gets hurt. Well, unless they deserve it, anyway. I can’t really think of anything else on the spot, but I’m sure there are other things. Like spiders! Oh, that’s weird? I’m sorry, I guess?”
• Cooking, especially with other people
• The colors blue and orange
• Hanging out with friends
• Harmless pranks
• Sweet things
• Spiders
♫When you see my face, I hope it gives you hell!♫
Dislikes:
”Well, obviously I dislike things that are the opposite of what I like, right? WRONG! I’m a very diverse person, I dislike many things. Wait, that didn’t sound nearly as good as it did in my head. What I meant to say was that I dislike things that aren’t diametrically opposed to what I like. But I suppose most people are like that. Just because someone likes cats doesn’t mean they hate dogs, right? I’m indifferent to both of them. But I do rather like doggies. And cats are pretty cool. Oh, I’m not that indifferent, I suppose. Well, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that I really dislike. Well, I suppose I don’t like when innocent people get hurt, unless it’s absolutely necessary the so-called ‘Greater Good’ or whatever. It’s still not good, but I suppose it’s at least understandable.“
• Meaningless violence
♫When all you got to keep is strong.♫
Strengths:
”Why, of course I have many strengths! I’m quick. And quick-witted! That counts for at least ten, right there. I’m also in good shape, so I guess I’m pretty strong. Maybe not like Olympic-strong, but pretty strong. And of course, I’m good-looking. No, that’s not personal opinion, I’ve been told that on several occasions. By people I’m not related to. And a lot of people I’ve never met before. Also, I think I’m popular, but I’m not entirely sure what constitutes that. I’ve been told I’m charming, too And I make pretty decent grades, generally. Well, there was that one B on that Biology test, but I swear I was given an Eastern Amethyst Panther* and not a European Purple Panther* to dissect!“
• Kale often knows how to defuse a situation, able to turn what is about to become a fight into a group of laughing people.
• Kale tends to get along with the majority of people, putting on masks to blend in with whomever he is with.
• Kale is a quick thinker, especially when it comes lying, telling half-truths, or avoiding topics.
• Kale is extremely bright but rarely shows the true depth of his intellect.
♫When we live fragile lives.♫
Weaknesses:
”Some people tell me I’m hard to read, and apparently that makes me creepy. I’m also told that sometimes my jokes go a bit too far. Others say I tend to be offensive. To be honest, though, the only people that tell me that are the people I mean to offend. Or their friends. Or people who see me offending those people. So maybe that’s not really such a bad thing, after all. I’m not really a team-player, I suppose; I keep secrets. A lot of secrets. Oh, and I have a dark past. Like, really dark. So dark I can’t even see it. Ha-ha, amnesia joke, right?“
• Kale’s mouth often gets him into trouble. When he feels someone deserves to be told off, he has no issues being the one to do it.
• Kale’s eyes often creep people out – it is almost as if he can see into their souls.
• Kale has amnesia and does not remember most of his past, or who he truly is.
• Kale often keeps secrets he should not. Sometimes people find out.
♫I see the fear growing in their lost eyes!♫
Fears:
”I fear nothing! At least, nothing that I can think of. I tend to be calm and collected, most of the time. Or at least aloof. That’s basically the same thing, right? But really, there isn’t a whole lot that scares me that wouldn’t scare most people. You know, things like finding a greater Demon lord while you’re alone in a dark alley. Or tripping and falling into a volcano. Or being bound and unable to move. Wait, some people actually like that last one? Weirdoes.“
Kale has very few, if any, actual fears. He does occasionally play scared, often to either fit in, defuse, or joke around. The one thing Kale really fears is his past – he feels as if he did something very bad (and he is a Demon) and is being punished for it.
♫I’ll keep you, my dirty little secret.♫
Secrets:
”Secrets? Nah, I’ve got none. What do you mean I already said I had a lot of them? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Oh. It’s on paper. Well, if they’re secrets, why would I tell you? Duh.“
• Kale remembers more than he lets on; he is not as clueless/helpless as he pretends to be.
• Kale is half Spider Demon, half Incubus.
• Kale is a master weaver.
♫He’s a stranger to some and a vision to none.♫
Description:
Kale’s human form is tall, about six feet, two inches, and lean. His hair is a dark blue (naturally, not dyed) and is cut at a medium (for a guy) length, and often looks unkempt. His eyes are an otherworldly, almost glowing, orange. Kale has some muscle tone, but not enough to look ‘sporty’. Kale often has a grin on his face, though why is often a mystery. He mostly dresses in either muted colors or some shade of blue, and almost always in silk clothing (he actually makes it himself). Kale’s clothes often appear to be formalwear, mainly slacks and a button-down shirt, occasionally a tie. He often walks around with both hands in his pockets.
In addition to his human form, Kale is able to assume his Demon form and a hybrid form. In his Demon form, Kale grows two large bat-like wings from his shoulder blades and six spider legs from just below the wings. His teeth sharpen, with his canines elongating into deadly, -dripping fangs. In his hybrid form, Kale sprouts a wing from his right shoulder blade and three spider legs of the left side of his back.
♫Do you believe in the fantasy?♫
Power(s):
”Well, I’m fast. Really fast. And I dabble a little bit in magic. I can do all kinds of things, like make a spark to light things on fire. Well, if the things are super combustible, like gasoline or something. I can also make a little light! Impressive, right? It’s almost as strong as a weak flashlight.“
As a Demon, Kale has many super-human traits, chief among them his speed. Though he lost much of his power along with his memory, he is still much faster than any normal human. He is also extremely strong and durable, though these are not as exaggerated as his speed. He also has a much better memory than humans, due to having a different view of time (Demons are eternal in the sense of age, even if they are not truly immortal).
In addition to being a Demon, Kale is also a master of magic, specifically illusion magic. Well, he was. Now, however, Kale is merely a novice at most magic (though he does improve far quicker than someone should. Probably because he is not as new as he thinks). He’s still quite expert with illusions, but nowhere near the extent he used to be; at one point, Kale was probably the best illusionist among Demons, if not in existence.
In his Demon and hybrid forms, Kale’s spider legs have armor stronger than steel and have needle-like points that contain paralytic venom. His wings are capable of flight, even in his hybrid form (somehow). In Demon form, his fangs contain venom that liquefies organic matter, in the same manner as a spider.
♫It’s time to lock-and-load♫
Belongings:
”Hmm, I’ve got clothing, toiletries, some bedding… oh, you mean things out of the ordinary? Well, I’m not sure what ‘ordinary’ is around here. Oh. Well, I’ve got this scythe, I suppose. I like it. It’s shiny and sharp and fun to twirl around. I’ve also got this feathery bracelet, but I’m not sure where it came from or what it does. But I feel attached to it, for some reason.“
Aside from standard things (if silk clothing can be called standard; most if Kale’s clothes are made of silk.), Kale has a large scythe, longer than he is tall (the snath is about seven feet long, while the blade is about forty-four inches long). The scythe is made of a metal found only Hell, forged in hellfire, making it nearly indestructible and unholy. On his left wrist is a bracelet made of a pure white, feathery material native to Heaven. Kale received this bracelet as a gift from a half-angel he befriended.
♫This who I am really inside.♫
Personality:
” Why, I’m a charming, outgoing guy, of course! I’m intelligent, compassionate, enjoy long walks on the beach, all kinds of movies, and… Okay, yeah, I may have been pretending this was some sort of dating site and saying things that one would find on them. Ha-ha, you caught me. But seriously, beaches are pretty awesome. There is so much sand to build castles with! And all the water you could want to wet it with! It’s like a sand-castle-building paradise! Okay, getting on with the real thing, now. I’m a pretty good guy, I think; I try to help those in need, if they deserve the help. Most people do, but sometimes people do stupid things and need to learn their lesson. I tend to be a playful person, but I can be serious when I need to be. Probably. Thankfully, that situation doesn’t arise very often.“
Kale is a whirling vortex of thoughts. He is always thinking something, always planning something. Kale tries to be at least a dozen steps ahead of everyone else, and often succeeds. He is highly analytical, but also fairly emotional. When dealing with people, Kale tries to be fair and follows the Golden Rule, he is not opposed to dishing out anything that the other party dishes out. This often gets him into trouble, because instead of avoiding fights, Kale often finishes them, at least when it is his fight. When others get into a spat, whether with words or swords, Kale tries to calm everyone involved down and defuse the situation. While Kale believes that some people do, in fact, deserve to be beaten, again with either words or swords, he knows most people do not share his strength and ideals and will either go too far or get themselves hurt.
Kale is very much a trickster, but not malevolent with it. He enjoys playing pranks and making jokes, but tries to make sure nobody comes to any serious harm from them, be it physical or emotional. The only time Kale is ever malevolent with pranks is when the victim is someone he believes deserves it, such as a bully. Kale often does not find any actual enjoyment in his pranks, but rather enjoys other people’s reactions to it, often meaning laughter. At his core, Kale wants to make other people happy, so he takes on massive burdens by himself without letting others know; this is sometimes hard for Kale, but he manages to keep it from others.
When around other people, Kale often reflects their personalities. It is easy for him to read people and mirror back whatever they want to see. This makes Kale somewhat of a social butterfly, because he is able to portray himself as the person others want him to be. It is easy to be the center of attention when you can embody the traits people want to see. This behavior can get Kale into trouble, however, because sometimes he will portray himself vastly different in different groups and if the groups come together, Kale has two different personalities that people are expecting and cannot help but disappoint someone.
Meeting new people and becoming acquaintances is easy for Kale, but truly befriending people is not. Kale often chooses large gatherings over small gatherings, so he rarely gets to know people well, nor do they get to know him well. This works out well for Kale, because he has little interest in making friends with most people – they are often boring, stupid, or cruel. He contents himself in knowing many people a little and bringing joy where he can. Those that do manage to pique Kale’s interest, however, find that he is often not a very good friend, no matter how hard he tries. Kale cannot help but keep secrets from people, even if they should know said secret. He is also bad at keeping in touch with people. Despite this, Kale is almost always willing to help a friend in need.
♫Lie awake in bed at night and think about your life♫
History:
”Well, I was probably born at some point. And then grew up. And something must have happened, because I don’t remember anything beyond the past few months. Nothing eventful really happened, pretty much I got your letter and came here. So… yeah.“
Kale came into being the same way as any other Demon, though how exactly that happens is up to debate – some say Demons are born, others claim they are created, and still more believe that they are fallen Angels. However it happened, Kale came into being at a time in the past. He grew as a typical Demon would; vicious, evil, bloodthirsty, cruel, and manipulative. Upon ‘coming of age,’ Kale was sent to being his work as a Demon – corrupting humanity. Kale, being overconfident, chose his first mark poorly. Eleanor of Leah was the princess of a small kingdom forgotten in the annuls of time and also a half-Angel. Kale knew that if he succeeded here, corrupting this pure being, he would gain much merit in the underworld. And so Kale set, aiming to corrupt.
Not being a fool, Kale kept his true identity secret at first. He slowly integrated himself into Eleanor’s attendants, arranging for one to ‘go missing’ and then presenting himself as the perfect replacement. Kale gained the princess’s trust and began his work of corrupting her. After gaining her trust, Kale offered Eleanor a Devil’s Contract; a magical document that bound whomsoever signed it to fulfill their obligations as written in the contract, often a wish in exchange for the person’s soul. While she never signed the contract, the princess kept it. Occasionally, Kale would recommend a course of action that, while not actually wrong, would be less pure than what the lady would ordinarily do. While Eleanor seemed to genuinely consider Kale’s suggestions, she never gave in, and over time, Kale began to take after her. Eventually, the princess became queen. The previous ruler, the late king, had been murdered by assassins from a warring kingdom. One day, while Kale was away from her side, a rare occasion at this point, Eleanor signed the contract, her wish being the ending of the war and everlasting peace for her people. Kale, though he had forgotten about it, immediately sensed that the contract had been signed and rushed back to the queen’s side. He had been impatient when writing it and added fine print that cause the signer to die after the conditions are fulfilled. When Kale made it to Eleanor’s side, the queen was dying. She managed to whisper a few, last words to Kale before perishing with a smile on her face. Because Eleanor never married or had children, her younger sister claimed the throne. Eventually, the kingdom faded, but the people remaining became the ancestors of the people of Switzerland.
After Eleanor’s death, Kale returned to Hell, his mission accomplished. Because this was his first contract, he did not actually get to claim the soul of the one he damned, but rather it went to his supervisor, a Lord of the Pits. With this regret heavy in his heart, Kale swore to usurp the Lord’s position so he could claim Eleanor’s soul. For many years, Kale carried out his duties and climbed in rank and power. Unscrupulous in his ways, Kale caused the downfall of many great civilizations, including the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty, as well as causing many wars, such as the Greek invasion of Troy and the Punic Wars. Many deaths and much tragedy stained Kale’s hands, but he hardened his heart to it so he could get Eleanor back. Eventually Kale was able to claim the title of Lord of the Pits, but he was still only a minor Lord and did not yet have the ability to overtake his old supervisor. This did not satisfy Kale, for he still did not possess the one soul he cared about. Because Kale was not the most physically gifted Demon, he decided that he must outwit the other Lord if he were to claim his prize. Thus marked the beginning of Kale’s utilization of his true gift, the power of deceit and manipulation.
Through extensive planning and manipulation, Kale became one of the most powerful Demons in Hell, though he easily managed to conceal this fact. Kale’s power did not lay in raw strength or number of followers, no, he held much greater powers: knowledge and trickery. Kale controlled the most extensive web of information in the underworld while carefully keeping it from being traceable back to him. With his vast network of intelligence and his sharp mind, Kale was able to see patterns that no other being was privy to. He was able to predict the moves of other Demon Lords almost before they could think to make them. Although able to predict his adversaries so easily, Kale still lacked enough substantial power to actually defeat them. It was for this reason that he turned to an art forbidden even amongst Demons, consuming souls to gain magical power. It was taboo for a Demon to consume the souls of mortals they had acquired for several reasons, primarily because it spurred the wrath of Heaven, but also because a Demon’s influence was oft measured by the number of souls they possessed. Kale cared for neither of these; if Heaven obliterated Hell, then so be it – he had no plans to stay once he reclaimed Eleanor’s soul.
With his new powers, Kale was able to challenge and defeat the Lord of the Pits that controlled Eleanor’s soul, but this was not enough for him to claim it; he had made an enemy of most of Hell with his methods, so the other Demon Lords joined together to cast Kale out of Hell. Despite his vast knowledge, Kale did not expect a unanimous decision among the other Lords so quickly. His plan was foiled, but his goal only delayed. He still had connections, plots, and deceptions. Assuming a new guise with his now profound illusion magic, Kale rejoined the ranks of Hell as an ordinary Demon. None realized that he was out of place, or if they did, they did not care. Kale quickly rose through the ranks, demonstrating enough power to set him above others in his station but not enough to arouse suspicion. In doing this, Kale gained a much greater understanding of how to read others and put this information to use. When he finally once again claimed the title of Lord of the Pits, Kale was much better equipped to carry out his plan of reclaiming Eleanor’s soul.
Before trying anything this time, Kale carefully began to prepare contingencies for every possible scenario he could think of that might go wrong. After many long years of preparation and planning, Kale had somehow managed to not only engrave magical runes throughout the entirety of Hell, but he also concealed them from the eyes of other Demons; even powerful magics were unable to detect his handiwork. In addition to his massive rune project, Kale also created three simulacra, beings that effectively amounted to lesser clones of himself. Kale had each simulacrum take on a different persona, much as he did long ago, and gain positions of power. The simulacra each developed their own personalities, false histories, and agendas, sometimes at odds with Kale’s own goals, but they always remained ultimately loyal to him, even if to outside eyes they seemed to be at one another’s throats. With his planning complete, Kale finally moved to reclaim Eleanor’s soul.
The struggle was brief, Kale’s foe falling easily at his hands. The succession was acknowledged amongst the other Lords; if one could not defend himself against his foes, then he did not deserve to hold power, or life. Kale’s decision to spare the life of the Lord he had beaten was controversial amongst the other Lords, but they accepted his reasoning – Kale did not need corpses, he needed minions. In exchange for his life, Kale demanded obedience from the Demon he had defeated, Zaphizal. Reluctantly the defeated Demon agreed, and in time became Kale’s trusted lieutenant. After Kale had claimed the soul he had sought for so long, he wanted nothing more than to restore her. But doing so would raise suspicion amongst the other Lords, so he had to bide his time until he could find a way to do it secretly. After many years of research, Kale found what he had been looking for and decided that it was time for him to disappear from Hell. In order to bring Eleanor back, he would have to go to a very special location in the mortal world; the Demon Well, where the souls of Demons are restored to life (albeit at the lowest rank and stripped of their previous powers), would be able to bring Eleanor back, but not without the notice and ire of every other Lord. Kale named Zaphizal his heir and faked his death at the hands of angels, so that the Demons would not be able to restore him to life with the Demon Well.
In the mortal world, Kale found the place that the humans had dubbed ‘The Fountain of Youth.’ This place held great restorative powers, able to revitalize those who drank its waters, able, even, to restore youth. It would be a great loss, for to restore the dead to life would drain the fountain of all of its magical energy. This was but one more sacrifice Kale was willing to make to bring back Eleanor. As he called upon the healing powers of the fountain, Eleanor’s soul was given flesh once again and she lived, but not all was as Kale had foreseen. Eleanor was horrified by what Kale had done to bring her back; as a soul, she was tortured by being forced to watch the atrocities that Kale committed in her name. The ordinarily calm and tranquil Eleanor was furious with Kale and devastated at the thought that it was her fault that these horrors came to pass. In a fit a sorrow, she threw herself into the waters of the fountain as the weakened magical energy caused it to collapse. Kale had succeeded to bring back his love, only to find he had become someone that went against everything she was. Kale was ashamed with himself and vowed to redeem himself, though he knew not how he could.
In his search for redemption, Kale found a way to tear reality with his magic, creating a bridge between this reality and alternate realities. With the new knowledge, hope formed in Kale that in some alternate world, he could find a version of Eleanor that still lived and did not despise him. At first, Kale could only form small tears, not large enough for him to travel through but sufficient to cause damage wherever he tried to open the portal. Eventually, after causing much magical decay in various locations, Kale ripped an adequately sized hole to travel though, and found himself in a new reality.
Ah, but that is a story for another time. Suffice to say that Kale learned much and came back a different person… and not alone, though it was not Eleanor that accompanied him.
Upon his return to his home reality, Kale got into a vicious fight with his otherdimensional companion, one that neither truly won. In the end, Kale retreated, though his exhaustion got the better of him soon after and he collapsed. Upon waking, Kale looked around himself in wonder. He had no memory of the place he was in. In fact, he had almost no memory at all. For some reason, he felt at peace with this discovery, as if it was normal to remember next to nothing. He could remember that he was on Earth, a basic history and geography, when it was, and other such things, but he had no memory of himself beyond his name and that he was a Demon and must hide that fact. After many years of travel and exploration, Kale began to regain fragments of himself. He was not nearly as sharp as he once was, but his mind was rapidly improving from the empty shell it had been when he awoke. He easily developed magical abilities once again, especially illusory ones. While his personal history was still a blank slate, Kale was beginning to reawaken his lost powers. Though originally at ease with his lack of memories, Kale has recently begin to worry that something terrible was the cause of the loss, and that scares him. He tries to be the best person he can be in hopes that whatever might have caused his memory loss can be atoned for, if it does in fact require atonement. One day, Kale received a letter inviting him to attend the Magic Mist Academy. Kale decided to take up the offer and has attended the Academy for a full year, now.
♫No secret deceptions for these would stare us down.♫
Other:
”What else, what else. I’ve got a slight, minor case of amnesia, if you hadn’t caught on to that, yet. That’s about all.“
Though he has forgotten his history, Kale has still been shaped by it. He it not a normal Demon, he is kind and compassionate. He often uses his amnesia as an excuse for things, but it does not hinder him nearly as much as he lets on.
Kale also has an invisible rune on his back that prevents any sort of detection abilities from working on him. Although the rune has been tainted and now holds a powerful evil spirit, though, and with enough skill, instead of simply failing, someone might be able to see into the spirit’s mind.
Better Luck Next Time, Prince Charming
This is a more detailed version of alarge piece of Kale’s history, that has not been included, yet.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true.♫
Chizikaru, the Angel, had gained their trust. Had gained her trust. But Kale was always suspicious of him. In this land things were different, his demonic heritage had less connotations than where he was from, but it was still odd that an Angel accepted him so easily. And now, Kale knew why. Chizikaru was powerful and cunning, he managed to outmaneuver Kale, a feat that none before had accomplished. And now he had her, the princess – no, the queen, now – in his grasp. She had been stolen away while her two most loyal guardians were away, only days after reclaiming the throne. But that, too, was just a set up. Chizikaru had made himself out to be a hero, helping to regain the throne, but he was really the one behind the coup that stole kingdom from the royal family. But he was too confident; he left a note behind, inviting the two remaining heroes to his tower to try to retake her. Kale still wasn’t sure what the Angel’s plot was, but he knew that this invitation was a trap. But there was no choice, the princess – queen – must be saved.
♫Shadows dance around me as I race alone♫
”This is all your fault! You said it had to be us to go! If I had been there…. If you had been there!” Kale’s companion roared. He was not happy to find out that his love was stolen. Kale understood his frustration; he was upset, himself, at allowing this to happen. There was a glint in the Hero’s eyes, a glint that Kale knew all too well. Rage. Hatred. Thirst for battle. Kale leapt back just in time, a sword slicing the air where he had been a mere moment before. ”I am not your enemy! We must find Chizikaru! Together, we can take her back!” Kale knew reason would not work, nor did he think that he would be able to take Chizikaru without the Hero’s help. The only option was to flee from him, let him cool down, and then talk to him. So Kale left, letting the Hero stew in his rage. Upon his return, Kale found that the Hero had left, probably to set out alone to save the girl. That idiot! Kale knew that none of the heroes could fight one another and escape unscathed; and this situation was made worse because Chizikaru would be ready for them. Feeling rage boil inside of him, Kale set out for the Angel’s tower – the Iron Tower, as it was called, said to be impenetrable.
♫I will never rest until she's in my arms [until she’s in my arms]♫
The Hero had only recently warmed up to the girl, who always had eyes for him. Kale envied him, for she was so similar to her mother, the spitting image of Eleanor. Of course, that was exactly why the Hero resented the girl at first; he had loved her mother, but the previous queen had fallen for Kale. They never married, and the queen did not know who the father of the princess was; someone had forced themselves upon the queen and she ended up with child. Of course, with Chizikaru’s true colors shown, Kale was able to figure it out. The queen died after giving birth, her life taken by Kale’s own hand at her request, so only Kale knew the child’s secret; the princess, now queen, was half Angel, fathered by the one who stole her away. Kale, wanting the girl to live a normal life, used an ancient, forbidden ritual in order to seal the girl’s Angelic heritage. It worked, and the girl lived as an ordinary human, well, as ordinary as a princess is. Kale promised the late queen that he would care for her daughter, that he would always protect her. He couldn’t fail, this time. He had been responsible for the death of the two people he cared most for, he was not going to add a third.
♫So close and yet [so far away] so far away♫
Kale knew exactly where the Iron Tower was. He had seen it several times before, though he had never been inside. Chizikaru had claimed that it had been sealed, but now Kale knew that to be a lie; it was to be the final battleground for the heroes, and Chizikaru wanted to deprive his foes of any knowledge they might gain about it. The other hero would also know how to find the tower, but he would not be as cautious as Kale. No, he would simply charge in headfirst and take on whatever came his way. Kale was smarter than that, he knew Chizikaru would lay traps. Kale would be ready; he immediately began to carve a magic rune, something to protect him from the Angel’s prying eyes. Upon finishing the rune, Kale gritted his teeth. This was going to hurt. Kale placed his hand upon the rune and began reciting the words to bind it to his flesh. Upon finishing the incantation, there was an excruciating pain on Kale’s back as the rune carved itself into his flesh. One redeeming quality of this ritual was that the rune would be hidden. After a few moments, the pain started to fade, the imprinting complete. Getting up from the floor – Kale had collapsed from the intense suffering – the Demon began to make his way to the Iron Tower, careful to avoid any potential traps.
♫A simple kiss to bring her back , to make this story end♫
None of this was supposed to happen. The princess was supposed to come of age, claim full control of the kingdom from the council, and live happily with her three heroes by her side. Kale had already planned the wedding, knowing that it was only a matter of time before his friend proposed to her. Chizikaru, being an Angel, would preside. Kale would play the part of best man and maid of honor – the princess had woefully few friends, and fewer still of the female persuasion. The date was set, the preparations made. Everything was kept secret from the two lovebirds. Kale had the timeline plotted out already; the proposition would happen in exactly forty-two days, the wedding would be exactly three months from that point, and during the honeymoon, the council would temporarily run the kingdom. Kale knew his friends so well that he was able to figure out when everything would occur; he would be willing to bet his life on the date of the proposition, possibly even the hour – between seven and eight in the afternoon, as the sun was setting. But now everything was ruined. The happiness Kale had foreseen for the new queen had been shattered by someone pretending to be their friend.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
The kingdom had fallen to a coup staged by a section of the nobility unsatisfied with the late queen’s peaceful ways. Kale managed to save the queen’s life and spirited her away. For several years, Kale and the queen tried to devise a peaceful way to reclaim the throne, but nothing would work and the queen refused to resort to violence. Eventually the queen died and Kale was left with a newborn child to raise. Upon the child’s thirteenth birthday, she resolved to take back the kingdom, even if she had to use force; the nobles that were now in charge were destroying the land with war. Kale and the princess set out to raise an army of those loyal to the royal family. After a year, they met another who was doing the same, a man who seemed to be a knight in shining plate armor – Chizikaru. He had heard that the princess was seeking to reclaim the throne and had gathered any who would join the cause. The knight commanded thousands loyal to the princess by this point, and was charismatic enough to gather more. The princess wholeheartedly accepted his help.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale, however, was not as willing to accept the knight, he had fought those who wore similar armor – Angelic armor. This knight was no ordinary man, he was an Angel. Kale distrusted Chizikaru not because he was an Angel, but because Kale was a Demon; the Angel should be able to tell this with no trouble, but he did not seem fazed in the slightest. In this land, Heaven and Hell had an uneasy truce, so there was not open war between the Angels and Demons as there was where Kale was from, but they still did not get along. Kale’s Demonic nature made him uneasy around the Angel, and the same should have been true for the other, but not only did he not seem uncomfortable, he seemed to enjoy Kale’s company. Kale shared his suspicions with the princess, but she thought that he was worrying too much. The Angel had gathered an army for her and was obviously dedicated to her cause. Kale could not argue with those points and begrudgingly accepted the knight, who quickly became one of the princess’s most trusted advisors.
♫Come and claim your, come and claim your, come and claim your queen♫
Thoughts of the past welled up unbidden in Kale. The Angel had fooled them all. Even Kale, toward the end of the fight for the kingdom, began to respect the Angel. Kale still could not help but respect him – he was a brilliant warrior and tactician; Chizikaru even managed to best Kale in wits, now. Trying to put thoughts of the past out of his mind, the Demon paused as a forest loomed ahead of him. The Tower was beyond, that much Kale knew, but this forest should not have been here. It had only been a few years since Kale had last seen the Iron Tower, which was surrounded by barren lands. But now there was a lush, lively forest surrounding it. It had to be a trap, but how so eluded Kale. He knew better than to rush in without preparation; the Angel had outsmarted him once before, Kale wasn’t going to let it happen again. Kale began a divination spell, to cast his senses out to search for the Hero that would assist him, willingly or not, in rescuing the young queen.
♫Come and claim your, come and claim your, come and claim your queen♫
The Hero had rushed off shortly after Kale had left him alone. He had seen the Iron Tower before. More than that, he had stood at its top at one time, facing supreme judgment. That was a long time ago, though. Now, the Hero would be invading the Tower to take back his love. Nothing would stand in his way. He had seen Chizikaru fight and knew that he could beat him. And, of course, Kale would be there, too. Kale and the hero always had each others’ backs, even after not seeing one another for over a dozen years. There was no way the two friends could lose against Chizikaru. The Hero arrived at the forest. Nothing had changed since the last time he had been here, the forest still teemed with life as it always had. As long as he followed the path, there should be no trouble reaching the Tower unthreatened. The Hero looked around for the path, but was unable to find it. The Angel must have done something in preparation. Oh well, the Hero could take anything the Forest of Death could throw at him.
♫The wild beasts are ravenous♫
Kale located the Hero; he had also made it to this forest, but did not seem disturbed by it. The Hero had always been overconfident, so it was not a surprise that he would be so here, but their current foe was the greatest they’d ever face. And the possible price of a mistake or failure, the life of the queen, was too much to pay. Kale wanted to go to the Hero to inform him of this, but knew that it would not matter. He steeled his resolve and entered the forest. It had been quiet until Kale set foot into the trees, but now it was roaring with life. The howls of wolves, roars of lions, and sounds of things far more terrible could be heard. Kale cast a quick spell to hide him from detection and began to navigate to the center of the forest, where the Tower should be. The task was much easier said than done, as the forest was thick with trees and undergrowth and seemed to twist and move around the Demon. Getting lost would be an easy task, here, so Kale had to be careful not to lose track of himself. There was illusory magic at work, but Kale could see through it. As good as the Angel may be, none could best Kale at illusions. The trees really were moving, but not the way they appeared to be. The creatures were real, but the directions of the sounds were not. They were prowling, looking for food, and unable to find any because of the magic. Kale had no doubt that they would be led inevitable to either himself or the Hero.
♫They will soon devour you♫
The Hero entered the forest and suddenly it sprung to life, just as he knew it would. Without a safe path, he would have to fight through all manner of beasts, both magical and not, before reaching the Tower. All the better to whet his blade. The path gone, it would be nearly impossible to reach the Tower without first going through the guardians of the forest. The Hero drew his sword, ready for the battle that lay ahead. He could hear the differences that the beasts could not – what sounds were real and which were fake. Everything would converge upon him, it seemed. Kale had either not yet made it, or was hiding from battle as he normally did. It mattered not, the Hero did not need help in this forest. He was not as powerful as the last time he had been here, but he was still strong enough to defeat even the most powerful of creatures here. The Hero stopped and adopted a battle stance. And then, it began. Frenzied masses of teeth and claws descended upon him from all sides, tearing at anything they could get to, indiscriminate between friend and foe. The Hero was quick enough to dodge, block, or outright slaughter anything that got close. Nothing in this forest posed a threat to him. No, this was merely a ploy to drain his stamina.
♫Dark howls echo bitter cries♫
Kale heard the sound instantly, blade cleaving through fur, flesh, and bone. The Hero had, of course, attracted every single creature in the forest within a few moments. Kale could only think of one being that could draw more danger than his friend – the queen. Kale debated a moment on whether or not to assist the Hero in the battle; he knew that his friend was an excellent fighter and should be able to handle himself, but he also did not dare underestimate Chizikaru’s trickery. There was only a moment of hesitation before Kale set off in the direction of the fight. He was cautious to not lose track of the Tower; he doubted that the Hero would know how to get to it after the fight was over. It was hard enough to keep one’s bearings without focusing upon a combat. Kale tried to sort out the sounds he heard, trying to determine which side had the upper hand. His task was impossible, however, due to the disturbance the magic in the forest created. Kale stopped a moment and cursed – a thing he rarely did – as he realized he had lost the way to the Tower. Trying to recover his sense of direction, Kale noticed that the forest seemed to be calming down; he could see the Tower in the distance, now.
♫But they fall upon deaf ears♫
It was easy to maneuver through the forest, now. The longer the fight went on, the less everything moved. As Kale neared the battle, he noticed that, aside from the fight, the forest was completely still and silent. It was almost as if the creatures, themselves, projected the illusion, not Chizikaru. Kale observed the Hero from afar for a few moments, noting the how the surroundings changed as he killed more and more of the beasts. Kale determined that either the Angel tied the magic of the forest to its inhabitants, or that somehow the creatures or the forest had gained some sort magic of their own. Either way, the result was the same. Only around the Hero and the swarm of beasts he fought was their motion, now. The Hero did not seem to be having any problems, so Kale took off in the direction of the Tower. Even if he did try to help, the Demon was unsure whether the Hero would want it. If he was still in a rage, he might even attack Kale. It was better to let the Hero have his fight. Kale would instead examine the Tower and try to develop a plan.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
Kale arrived at the Tower swiftly now that the magic faded from the forest. The Iron Tower was a massive structure, easily a dozen stories tall, made of what appeared to be pure iron; on top of the Tower was a familiar form, the Angel Chizikaru. Kale noticed powerful magic emanating from it, protective barriers to ward against assault and intrusion. Teleportation spells would result in being ripped apart, at best. Attempting to scale the Tower would activate its defenses and probably kill even Kale. Kale had two options; begin stripping away the defenses or ascend the Tower from the inside. With this level of magic protecting the outside, the Angel obviously planned for the heroes to scale the interior, meaning there would no doubt be many perils within. It would be safest, even if time-consuming, to peel away the protective layers. As Kale was about to begin his word, the Hero arrived. ”Chizikaru has enchanted the Tower, I’m going to break the spells so we can get to him without going through the Tower.” Kale told his friend. The Hero shook his head. ”No, the Tower existed long before it fell under his care. This magic is older and more powerful than him. The only way up is in.” The Hero responded.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale could not reason with the Hero, though the former was certain of his ability to remove the wards on the Tower, the latter refused to believe it. The Hero entered the Tower as Kale began the rituals necessary to strip the Tower of its magic. Time might not be on their side, but they could not afford to weaken themselves unnecessarily, either. If the Hero refused to listen to reason, then at least Kale would be uninjured for the final confrontation. Kale was fairly certain that the Angel had no plans to harm the queen, not until after he had dealt with the heroes, at least. There would be no sense in prolonging anything he would do to her, unless he was waiting until they either arrived or were defeated. Kale was almost sure that he and his friend could take as long as they wanted and nothing would befall the hostage. Kale did not know if she was merely bait to draw them in, or if the Angel had another plan for her; either way, Chizikaru could not bring harm to her before the heroes arrived, if he wanted to use her to bait them.
♫Come and claim your queen!♫
The Hero was prepared to face the true test of the Iron Tower; climbing the twelve floors. The Forest of Death outside was merely a deterrent for the weak, the true trial were the twelve Guardians of the Tower. The last time the Hero was here, he was a prisoner facing judgment and did not have to fight his way to the top, but he still remembered the Guardians. Each was a former general of either Heaven or Hell, sent here to protect the sanctity of the Chain of Being. But that was in the past, now. The Hero knew that the old Guardians would have been replaced by Chizikaru’s own, handpicked, soldiers. No more was this place sacred, defiled as it was by his hands. The Angel had not truly changed, but his goal was lost upon the Hero. There was nothing that could be accomplished here by a human girl. After the Hero and his Demon friend killed Chizikaru, the chain would need a new protector. The Hero would never be trusted for the task, nor did he want it. But Kale was the perfect candidate. The Hero would be sure to bring it up to his friend after this ordeal was over. Steeling himself, the Hero prepared himself to face the twelve Guardians.
♫You're pathetic, what good do you do♫
”Ah, so you decided to join me alone, have you? Surely you are not foolish enough to think you could stand a chance against me alone.” Chizikaru taunted the Hero, battered and bloody from the battle to the top of the Tower. ”And yet, here you are. Did you think I would just hand the queen over to you once you got here? No, you will have to take her by force, if you want her back, my old master. And when you fail, I will finish what you started all those years ago.” The words dripped like venom from the Angel’s mouth, wounding the Hero deeper than any of the Guardians could have ever hoped to. But all of that was in the past. The Hero had changed. He was a defender, now, not a destroyer. He looked around to be sure his love was unharmed and saw the queen laying on a stone slab, bound to it by a chain. ”You used the Chain of Being to bind a prisoner? Have you no respect? No, of course you don’t. I was a fool to think you had changed. You were more zealous than even I was. This ends now. I will kill you, and our friend Kale will become the next Keeper of the Chain. Under his care, no fool will ever think they could break it.” The words flew from the Hero’s mouth with a cutting edge, sharper than steel. The Angel did not even flinch, though. He had prepared for all of this. He knew the Hero would make it this far, but he would have also expected the Demon. The Hero knew he could only stall until his friend came to his aid. This was not a fight either of them could win alone.
♫She had faith in me, I was her only escape♫
The Angel did not seem to be in a hurry to fight the Hero, perfectly content to just wait. This made little sense to the Hero; Chizikaru had to have known that Kale would also be coming, so he should want to try to defeat the Hero before his reinforcements arrived, unless the Angel, too, was stalling for time. The Hero’s eyes wandered to the Queen briefly. That must have been it, the Angel must have done something to her, perhaps some ancient ritual to drain her life to weaken the chain. There was no rush to beat his enemies, he just had to buy enough time; that was why the Angel waited. The Hero felt anger growing in him. He was not going to let his love die for such an evil purpose. He would not let the Angel manipulate him into allowing it to happen. The Hero brandished his sword in challenge. Chizikaru may have been a fallen Angel and a dishonored knight, but he still had his own sense of honor. He would not turn down a challenge, especially not from the one who taught him swordsmanship.
♫A most deep and subtle poison♫
”Oh, a challenge, is it? You know you can’t beat me. Why not wait for your friend to come? Or do you not know that he won’t be? Such a tragedy when your friends abandon you, isn’t it?” The honeyed, placating words fell upon the Hero and for a moment, he doubted. No, Kale would come. The Angel was trying to dissuade the Hero, to buy more time. This was but one more trick in his repertoire. The Hero merely smiled and charged at the Angel. Their blades met, and the Hero realized that he had used more energy than he thought to get through the Guardians. He was unable to push the Angel’s sword back at all. With a slight tsk, Chizikaru pushed back, but instead of the Hero losing ground, his sword was cleaved in half, almost as if the Angel’s sword was cutting through butter. The Hero backed away, not out of fear, but out of shock. He stared at the sword for a moment before he realized it was made out of metal. Of course, he had left his good sword in his chambers at the castle; the queen insisted he not carry it around in times of peace, due to the symbolism it held. There was no way the Hero could hope to fight against his enemy like this. But he could not relent. No, he had to do anything he could to wear down this opponent.
♫Welcomes her unblinking eyes to eternal sleep♫
”Oh, was that not the sword your mother gave to you? Or was it your father? A shame, taking that away from you would have made my victory here all the sweeter. But perhaps it is better this way. After all, I can make it mine after I kill you here.” Chizikaru taunted the hero, aiming to shatter his spirit as well as his sword. The Hero gripped what was left of his sword tighter. His foe knew exactly how to get to him. They knew one another too well, once being master and student. No attempts to calm himself worked, and the Hero flew in a blind rage toward the Angel. Every blow was parried, leaving less and less sword for the Hero to use, until, finally, all that was left was the hilt. The Hero staggered back, having received several cuts from the exchange. If he could rest, the Hero could recover enough to stand a chance against his enemy, but that was not an option with the queen’s life at stake. Nothing he did had any effect on the Angel, though. He tried to decide if he could wait until Kale arrived, or if it would be too late by then to save his love. ”Hesitating, are we? How unlike you. You don’t have much time left before she dies, you know. I can promise you that at this rate, she will be dead by the time this fight is over, one way or another.”
♫If I had shown, she would be mine♫
”You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You thought you could split us up, plant doubt in our minds. You were wrong. You haven’t done anything to the queen. You couldn’t. You needed her to bring us here. A dead hostage does nobody any good.” Kale claimed, finally arriving at the top of the Tower. It seemed that it had taken him a little bit longer than his friend, but he was in much better shape. The two friends shared a look and the Hero nodded. Kale turned toward Chizikaru and offered a challenge. He could hold him off long enough for his friend to rest up a little bit. Kale drew his sword and attacked the Angel, not trying to cause harm, rather, trying to consume as much attention as possible. Many swift, light blows would keep him on guard in case one blow came with more force. Kale’s plan worked, for a moment, until his foe saw through it and forced Kale back with an offensive of his own. The two locked swords again and again, neither causing harm to the other. After a few more skirmishes, Kale retreated from the fight; the Angel let him, almost seeming bored. Kale had bought enough time. Now, the two friends would fight together.
♫Who is the fairest of all?♫
As the Hero and Demon prepared to launch a united assault, the Angel held up a hand, as if parley. ”Hold a moment. I think it is time to let you know you were brought here.” The Angel said calmly, gesturing to the woman bound by chain. ”My old master knows this, but I don’t think the foreigner does. This is the Chain of Being, the focal point of the magic that flows through Heaven and Hell. There is a ritual to break it, requiring the sacrifice of an Angel, fallen from grace, and turned human for treating with Demons. My daughter, here, is the only such being to have ever existed. Until you entered this world, I had thought it impossible. Thanks to you, though, I can sunder the Chain and finally stop the immortals from interfering with the mortals, as the Creator intended. The battle for souls must end if there is to be peace.” The words hit hard. For Kale, the knowledge that he had been playing into Chizikaru’s plans ever since arriving here was devastating. The death of his love, the late queen, and the sealing of her daughter’s Angelic blood were all part of the Angel’s plot, and Kale had played the role assigned to him unknowingly. For the Hero, the knowledge that his love was not who he thought she was tore at him. The Hero never liked Angels, which was part of the reason he had been the first to try to break the Chain all those years ago. Finding out that his love was one of them sent him reeling.
♫Tell me again, tell me again, you know its me♫
Kale began to laugh. None of this mattered. The past was the past, and all of the Angel’s plots will have been for nothing if he was defeated here. The only thing left to do was end Chizikaru. No more intricate plots, no more talking, just a battle to the death between three friends. This was going to end today and peace would return to the land, no matter whose blood drenched the Tower. If Chizikaru won, he would break the Chain and the current order of things would shift so radically that there would likely be nothing left to cause strife. If the queen was saved, she would lead her kingdom to peace and prosperity. No matter the outcome, it would only be achieved through death. Kale grabbed something from beneath his cloak and tossed it to his friend. The Hero caught the bundle of cloth and unwrapped it, revealing two swords; an evil-looking one and the one carved from his mother’s bone. He knew he could only use the bone sword here. The other sword possessed great power, but also a great curse. It would possess the Hero and use him to kill everyone around him. If there was no other way, he would draw the sword against Chizikaru, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. The Hero drew his sword and, moving to stand beside his friend, readied himself for the final battle.
♫A simple kiss to bring her back, to make this story end♫
The two friends simultaneously began to change. From the Hero’s back sprouted Dragon wings and his skin took on a slightly scaly appearance. His nails grew into dagger-like claws as his teeth became razor-sharp fangs. Kale smiled as a single bat wing grew out from his right shoulder blade while three spider legs grew from the left side of his back. The two held their swords up, pointed at the Angel. He still remained in human form. The heroes waited a few moments for their opponent to unleash his power, but he didn’t, instead staring at the Dragon. He had never known that his old teacher was half-Dragon; he had assumed that his eternal youth was a side-effect of his divine punishment. Kale looked to his friend and they silently agreed to force the Angel to release his power. The two charged and quickly began to overwhelm the Angel, until he drew a second sword, seemingly out of nothing. For a few moments, the Angel held the two heroes at bay, but they were slowing gaining the advantage. ”Enough of this!” Chizikaru roared, quickly retreated from the heroes’ onslaught. Angelic wings burst from his back and a halo formed over his head. The twin swords he held flared with holy fire. The Angel was at his full strength, now, and flung himself at the heroes, easily overpowering them.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
As Kale was thrown back from the Angel’s assault, his hands reached out, as if to grab onto something. He managed to get a hand on something, but it was not solid and he merely took it with him as he was sent flying backwards. As he hit the ground, the object Kale had grabbed onto slid out of his hand and off the side of the Tower, falling to forest floor below. The Hero, seeing the Angel’s true power, began to lose hope. He knew that Kale would not be able to keep up with this. He reached to draw his other sword, the only hope they had of winning this fight, only to realize that it was gone. He cursed under his breath, realized that Kale must have accidentally snatched it away when he was pushed back. There was only one other option; though it was less dangerous for the ones the Hero cared about, it was also less likely to be able to defeat the Angel. The Hero sheathed his sword and crouched. Chizikaru took this as surrender and moved to end the Hero’s life. Suddenly, the Hero exploded outward, the mere human form he had been assuming giving way to the massive Dragon that he really was. The Angel paused for a moment, not expecting this, and was immediately slammed into by the Dragon’s tail. Recovering himself, the Angel fought the Dragon as an equal, until the both wounded the other; the Angel barely missed the Dragon’s heart with his blade, while the Dragon sliced the Angel’s gut with a claw.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale stood up and saw the battle happening above the Tower. Both the Hero and Angel had taken flight and were clashing in the air, until they managed to get a good blow in on one another. The Dragon fell from the sky, briefly landed on the edge of the Tower, and then fell to the ground. The Angel landed on the Tower’s surface and faced Kale. He did not seem happy with being wounded. The two friends put up much more of a fight than he had expected. The Angel was weakened from the injury he received from the Dragon, but he was still too much for Kale to handle. Chizikaru wasted no time in attacking the Demon, who could barely defend himself from the frenzy of blows. Even with his three spider legs to help block, Kale could not match the Angel’s combat prowess. A cut here, a nick there. At this rate, Kale would die. He should have spent more time preparing for this, but it was too late, now. There was no way he could have imagined Chizikaru would be this powerful. If he had managed to keep hold of the Hero’s Demonic sword, he might have had a chance. An idea formed in Kale head at that though, and, instead of deflecting the Angel’s blows, he let himself take a direct hit, using his sword to block. The sword snapped in two and Kale was injured, but his plan worked and he was knocked away, off the edge of the Tower. Chizikaru would think he had won and begin the ritual. Kale would have to hurry.
♫We'll make your dreams come true♫
Kale hit the ground with a thump and immediately looked around for the sword. He quickly found it and picked it up. In his brief look around, he did not see the Hero, but there was a trail of blood leading to the Tower entrance. His friend must not have enough power to hold his Dragon form, anymore, and was going to try to climb the Tower to fight on, anyway. Kale admired his determination, but promised himself it would be unnecessary this time. Kale took a shaky breath as he held the Demonic sword; he was not entirely sure he could control it, but he knew he would have a better chance then the Hero would in his condition. This was the only chance they had to win. This was the only option. Kale slow unsheathed the sword and felt power flowing through him. Kale grew fearful for a moment as the power began to overflow from him. A second wing grew from his back, along with three more spider legs. The fear changed to triumph as Kale took on his Demon form for the first time since coming to this world. The sword’s power merged with his own to catalyze the transformation. If Kale knew that this was all that was needed to regain his full power, he would have taken the sword from the Hero long ago. But that didn’t matter now. With inhuman speed, Kale ascended the side of the Tower, almost teleporting to the top. He smiled wickedly at the Angel before him as he raised the Demonic sword.
♫We'll make your dreams come true♫
The fight that ensued lasted only a few moments. Kale fought with sword and magic, assaulting the Angel with his arcane might while defending himself from blows with sword and spider leg. Kale was toying with the Angel, knowing he could end it at any time. He no longer wanted to just kill his enemy, he was going to torture him, give him a slow, painful death. A wicked light glowed in Kale’s eyes as he embraced his Demonic nature and tormented the Angel. Limb by limb, the Angel lost small parts of himself. Kale did not stop until nothing remained but twisted, ruined meta and a pile of flesh sitting in a pool of blood. He heard a door open and turned to see the Hero, who had just managed to arrive at the top of the Tower. What a useless hero he is. Kale thought maliciously. He couldn’t save the queen. He couldn’t save himself. He didn’t even deserve to live. Kale took a step toward the Hero before realizing something was wrong. Why did the Hero need to die just because he could protect everyone? That didn’t make any sense. Kale’s back began to burn as he came to his senses, the rune finally able to fully contain the evil spirit that possessed the blade. As Kale regained his senses, he sheathed the sword. It was over. The Angel was dead and the queen rescued.
♫Come and claim your queen♫
As the two heroes approached the queen, Kale realized that the ritual had already taken place. He could feel the magic weaving around the queen and the Chain. Chizikaru had already completed the ritual before they had arrived here! Kale tried to see some way to unravel the spell, but that was impossible. The Chain would be broken and the only thing that could prevent it was the death of the one it was wrapped around. Tears welled in Kale’s eyes. The Hero was saying something, trying to pull at the Chain. He didn’t realize that there was no saving this girl anymore. The person Kale had raised since she was but a babe would have to be taken from this world. The one the Hero had fallen in love with would be no more. But it must be done. Kale placed a hand on the Demonic sword. The Hero, Draco, was finally able to claim the queen Natalia, his love. But it was a bittersweet moment. Kale would be forced to end her. Everywhere he went, he brought tragedy to the people he cared about. ”I’m sorry, Natalia. I’m sorry, Draco.” The words were barely out of Kale’s mouth before the sword was in the queen’s heart. Still in his full Demon form, Kale vanished, taking the sword with him. The Hero could not believe what he had just witnessed; his closest friend had done so much for Natalia, only to murder her after they had finally rescued her. He feel to his knees and grasped the queen’s hand in both of his and wept.
♫This is the last sooong!♫
Disclaimer:
*Panthers are not an actual animal. Panthera is a genus of felines, but not a species. It comprises lions, tigers (and bears, oh my! Okay, not really bears), leopards, and jaguars. Panthers are, however, a mythological creature, which is what Kale is referencing.
♫Should I pull back the veil?♫
Played by:
”Umm, I’m not even sure what this is asking. Clarification, please?”
Cody
♫Seasons change me, but they won’t change my core!♫
Name:
”Hello, my name is Kale Rumada Kaizan. It is very nice to meet you.”
Kale Rumada Kaizan
♫I count the days that pass me by♫
Age:
”My age? Hmm, that’s a good question. I don’t have any records, but I’ve been told I look like I’m in my late teens, so like seventeen? Ish.”
It is unknown how old Kale really is, but he does appear to be around seventeen.
♫Born and bred the masters of ourselves.♫
Gender:
”I mean, I don’t exactly check all the time, but I think I’m a guy. Unless something’s changed. ”
Male
♫Never has the blood in my veins flowed so fiercely♫
Race:
”I’m totally just a human. Promise.”
Demon. Actually, Kale is a Demon Lord, but he does not remember that and has lost access to his full power. Therefore, it does not really matter, much.
♫Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?♫
Sexual Orientation:
”Hey, that’s a little bit personal, isn’t it? But to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it. It’s optional, right?”
Heterosexual, but has no real interest in romance.
♫Better is one day in your house♫
House:
”What is this, Harry Potter? Do I get to wear a funny hat? No? Well, there goes all the fun. Can I, like, put the names in a hat and pick one at random?“
Kale is a member of house Baudin, oddly enough. Those who really know him see that he would belong in Aldaron much more than Baudin, while those that don’t know him would fit him more into Glenice. It is quite the mystery how he ended up where he is, but he does not seem to have a problem with it.
♫Sittin’ in the back of my next class nappin’ got up gave a speech and bowed to the clapping.♫
Classes:
”Oh great, I knew it wasn’t going to be all fun and games. Can I test out of stuff? Or at least try to, I guess.“
Kale takes Calculus I, General Chemistry II, Ancient History, Ancient Literature, Magic 101, Magical Creatures, and Magical Theories.
♫My purpose is so clear!♫
Occupation:
”Umm, I’m a student here? Am I supposed to have a job? This is the first I’ve heard of that.“
Kale is in his second year at the Academy, though his classification is Junior.
♫I wake up every evening with a big smile on my face.♫
Likes:
”Things I like, hmm. Well, hanging out with friends is always good, right? Oh, and I like sweets. I’m also a good cook, and it’s fun to cook with other people; as helpers, not ingredients, of course!“ That wasn’t suspicious at all, right? “What else, let’s see… the color blue is fun. Oh, and orange. Pranks are pretty awesome, especially when everyone laughs; not so much when someone actually gets hurt. Well, unless they deserve it, anyway. I can’t really think of anything else on the spot, but I’m sure there are other things. Like spiders! Oh, that’s weird? I’m sorry, I guess?”
• Cooking, especially with other people
• The colors blue and orange
• Hanging out with friends
• Harmless pranks
• Sweet things
• Spiders
♫When you see my face, I hope it gives you hell!♫
Dislikes:
”Well, obviously I dislike things that are the opposite of what I like, right? WRONG! I’m a very diverse person, I dislike many things. Wait, that didn’t sound nearly as good as it did in my head. What I meant to say was that I dislike things that aren’t diametrically opposed to what I like. But I suppose most people are like that. Just because someone likes cats doesn’t mean they hate dogs, right? I’m indifferent to both of them. But I do rather like doggies. And cats are pretty cool. Oh, I’m not that indifferent, I suppose. Well, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that I really dislike. Well, I suppose I don’t like when innocent people get hurt, unless it’s absolutely necessary the so-called ‘Greater Good’ or whatever. It’s still not good, but I suppose it’s at least understandable.“
• Meaningless violence
♫When all you got to keep is strong.♫
Strengths:
”Why, of course I have many strengths! I’m quick. And quick-witted! That counts for at least ten, right there. I’m also in good shape, so I guess I’m pretty strong. Maybe not like Olympic-strong, but pretty strong. And of course, I’m good-looking. No, that’s not personal opinion, I’ve been told that on several occasions. By people I’m not related to. And a lot of people I’ve never met before. Also, I think I’m popular, but I’m not entirely sure what constitutes that. I’ve been told I’m charming, too And I make pretty decent grades, generally. Well, there was that one B on that Biology test, but I swear I was given an Eastern Amethyst Panther* and not a European Purple Panther* to dissect!“
• Kale often knows how to defuse a situation, able to turn what is about to become a fight into a group of laughing people.
• Kale tends to get along with the majority of people, putting on masks to blend in with whomever he is with.
• Kale is a quick thinker, especially when it comes lying, telling half-truths, or avoiding topics.
• Kale is extremely bright but rarely shows the true depth of his intellect.
♫When we live fragile lives.♫
Weaknesses:
”Some people tell me I’m hard to read, and apparently that makes me creepy. I’m also told that sometimes my jokes go a bit too far. Others say I tend to be offensive. To be honest, though, the only people that tell me that are the people I mean to offend. Or their friends. Or people who see me offending those people. So maybe that’s not really such a bad thing, after all. I’m not really a team-player, I suppose; I keep secrets. A lot of secrets. Oh, and I have a dark past. Like, really dark. So dark I can’t even see it. Ha-ha, amnesia joke, right?“
• Kale’s mouth often gets him into trouble. When he feels someone deserves to be told off, he has no issues being the one to do it.
• Kale’s eyes often creep people out – it is almost as if he can see into their souls.
• Kale has amnesia and does not remember most of his past, or who he truly is.
• Kale often keeps secrets he should not. Sometimes people find out.
♫I see the fear growing in their lost eyes!♫
Fears:
”I fear nothing! At least, nothing that I can think of. I tend to be calm and collected, most of the time. Or at least aloof. That’s basically the same thing, right? But really, there isn’t a whole lot that scares me that wouldn’t scare most people. You know, things like finding a greater Demon lord while you’re alone in a dark alley. Or tripping and falling into a volcano. Or being bound and unable to move. Wait, some people actually like that last one? Weirdoes.“
Kale has very few, if any, actual fears. He does occasionally play scared, often to either fit in, defuse, or joke around. The one thing Kale really fears is his past – he feels as if he did something very bad (and he is a Demon) and is being punished for it.
♫I’ll keep you, my dirty little secret.♫
Secrets:
”Secrets? Nah, I’ve got none. What do you mean I already said I had a lot of them? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Oh. It’s on paper. Well, if they’re secrets, why would I tell you? Duh.“
• Kale remembers more than he lets on; he is not as clueless/helpless as he pretends to be.
• Kale is half Spider Demon, half Incubus.
• Kale is a master weaver.
♫He’s a stranger to some and a vision to none.♫
Description:
Kale’s human form is tall, about six feet, two inches, and lean. His hair is a dark blue (naturally, not dyed) and is cut at a medium (for a guy) length, and often looks unkempt. His eyes are an otherworldly, almost glowing, orange. Kale has some muscle tone, but not enough to look ‘sporty’. Kale often has a grin on his face, though why is often a mystery. He mostly dresses in either muted colors or some shade of blue, and almost always in silk clothing (he actually makes it himself). Kale’s clothes often appear to be formalwear, mainly slacks and a button-down shirt, occasionally a tie. He often walks around with both hands in his pockets.
In addition to his human form, Kale is able to assume his Demon form and a hybrid form. In his Demon form, Kale grows two large bat-like wings from his shoulder blades and six spider legs from just below the wings. His teeth sharpen, with his canines elongating into deadly, -dripping fangs. In his hybrid form, Kale sprouts a wing from his right shoulder blade and three spider legs of the left side of his back.
♫Do you believe in the fantasy?♫
Power(s):
”Well, I’m fast. Really fast. And I dabble a little bit in magic. I can do all kinds of things, like make a spark to light things on fire. Well, if the things are super combustible, like gasoline or something. I can also make a little light! Impressive, right? It’s almost as strong as a weak flashlight.“
As a Demon, Kale has many super-human traits, chief among them his speed. Though he lost much of his power along with his memory, he is still much faster than any normal human. He is also extremely strong and durable, though these are not as exaggerated as his speed. He also has a much better memory than humans, due to having a different view of time (Demons are eternal in the sense of age, even if they are not truly immortal).
In addition to being a Demon, Kale is also a master of magic, specifically illusion magic. Well, he was. Now, however, Kale is merely a novice at most magic (though he does improve far quicker than someone should. Probably because he is not as new as he thinks). He’s still quite expert with illusions, but nowhere near the extent he used to be; at one point, Kale was probably the best illusionist among Demons, if not in existence.
In his Demon and hybrid forms, Kale’s spider legs have armor stronger than steel and have needle-like points that contain paralytic venom. His wings are capable of flight, even in his hybrid form (somehow). In Demon form, his fangs contain venom that liquefies organic matter, in the same manner as a spider.
♫It’s time to lock-and-load♫
Belongings:
”Hmm, I’ve got clothing, toiletries, some bedding… oh, you mean things out of the ordinary? Well, I’m not sure what ‘ordinary’ is around here. Oh. Well, I’ve got this scythe, I suppose. I like it. It’s shiny and sharp and fun to twirl around. I’ve also got this feathery bracelet, but I’m not sure where it came from or what it does. But I feel attached to it, for some reason.“
Aside from standard things (if silk clothing can be called standard; most if Kale’s clothes are made of silk.), Kale has a large scythe, longer than he is tall (the snath is about seven feet long, while the blade is about forty-four inches long). The scythe is made of a metal found only Hell, forged in hellfire, making it nearly indestructible and unholy. On his left wrist is a bracelet made of a pure white, feathery material native to Heaven. Kale received this bracelet as a gift from a half-angel he befriended.
♫This who I am really inside.♫
Personality:
” Why, I’m a charming, outgoing guy, of course! I’m intelligent, compassionate, enjoy long walks on the beach, all kinds of movies, and… Okay, yeah, I may have been pretending this was some sort of dating site and saying things that one would find on them. Ha-ha, you caught me. But seriously, beaches are pretty awesome. There is so much sand to build castles with! And all the water you could want to wet it with! It’s like a sand-castle-building paradise! Okay, getting on with the real thing, now. I’m a pretty good guy, I think; I try to help those in need, if they deserve the help. Most people do, but sometimes people do stupid things and need to learn their lesson. I tend to be a playful person, but I can be serious when I need to be. Probably. Thankfully, that situation doesn’t arise very often.“
Kale is a whirling vortex of thoughts. He is always thinking something, always planning something. Kale tries to be at least a dozen steps ahead of everyone else, and often succeeds. He is highly analytical, but also fairly emotional. When dealing with people, Kale tries to be fair and follows the Golden Rule, he is not opposed to dishing out anything that the other party dishes out. This often gets him into trouble, because instead of avoiding fights, Kale often finishes them, at least when it is his fight. When others get into a spat, whether with words or swords, Kale tries to calm everyone involved down and defuse the situation. While Kale believes that some people do, in fact, deserve to be beaten, again with either words or swords, he knows most people do not share his strength and ideals and will either go too far or get themselves hurt.
Kale is very much a trickster, but not malevolent with it. He enjoys playing pranks and making jokes, but tries to make sure nobody comes to any serious harm from them, be it physical or emotional. The only time Kale is ever malevolent with pranks is when the victim is someone he believes deserves it, such as a bully. Kale often does not find any actual enjoyment in his pranks, but rather enjoys other people’s reactions to it, often meaning laughter. At his core, Kale wants to make other people happy, so he takes on massive burdens by himself without letting others know; this is sometimes hard for Kale, but he manages to keep it from others.
When around other people, Kale often reflects their personalities. It is easy for him to read people and mirror back whatever they want to see. This makes Kale somewhat of a social butterfly, because he is able to portray himself as the person others want him to be. It is easy to be the center of attention when you can embody the traits people want to see. This behavior can get Kale into trouble, however, because sometimes he will portray himself vastly different in different groups and if the groups come together, Kale has two different personalities that people are expecting and cannot help but disappoint someone.
Meeting new people and becoming acquaintances is easy for Kale, but truly befriending people is not. Kale often chooses large gatherings over small gatherings, so he rarely gets to know people well, nor do they get to know him well. This works out well for Kale, because he has little interest in making friends with most people – they are often boring, stupid, or cruel. He contents himself in knowing many people a little and bringing joy where he can. Those that do manage to pique Kale’s interest, however, find that he is often not a very good friend, no matter how hard he tries. Kale cannot help but keep secrets from people, even if they should know said secret. He is also bad at keeping in touch with people. Despite this, Kale is almost always willing to help a friend in need.
♫Lie awake in bed at night and think about your life♫
History:
”Well, I was probably born at some point. And then grew up. And something must have happened, because I don’t remember anything beyond the past few months. Nothing eventful really happened, pretty much I got your letter and came here. So… yeah.“
Kale came into being the same way as any other Demon, though how exactly that happens is up to debate – some say Demons are born, others claim they are created, and still more believe that they are fallen Angels. However it happened, Kale came into being at a time in the past. He grew as a typical Demon would; vicious, evil, bloodthirsty, cruel, and manipulative. Upon ‘coming of age,’ Kale was sent to being his work as a Demon – corrupting humanity. Kale, being overconfident, chose his first mark poorly. Eleanor of Leah was the princess of a small kingdom forgotten in the annuls of time and also a half-Angel. Kale knew that if he succeeded here, corrupting this pure being, he would gain much merit in the underworld. And so Kale set, aiming to corrupt.
Not being a fool, Kale kept his true identity secret at first. He slowly integrated himself into Eleanor’s attendants, arranging for one to ‘go missing’ and then presenting himself as the perfect replacement. Kale gained the princess’s trust and began his work of corrupting her. After gaining her trust, Kale offered Eleanor a Devil’s Contract; a magical document that bound whomsoever signed it to fulfill their obligations as written in the contract, often a wish in exchange for the person’s soul. While she never signed the contract, the princess kept it. Occasionally, Kale would recommend a course of action that, while not actually wrong, would be less pure than what the lady would ordinarily do. While Eleanor seemed to genuinely consider Kale’s suggestions, she never gave in, and over time, Kale began to take after her. Eventually, the princess became queen. The previous ruler, the late king, had been murdered by assassins from a warring kingdom. One day, while Kale was away from her side, a rare occasion at this point, Eleanor signed the contract, her wish being the ending of the war and everlasting peace for her people. Kale, though he had forgotten about it, immediately sensed that the contract had been signed and rushed back to the queen’s side. He had been impatient when writing it and added fine print that cause the signer to die after the conditions are fulfilled. When Kale made it to Eleanor’s side, the queen was dying. She managed to whisper a few, last words to Kale before perishing with a smile on her face. Because Eleanor never married or had children, her younger sister claimed the throne. Eventually, the kingdom faded, but the people remaining became the ancestors of the people of Switzerland.
After Eleanor’s death, Kale returned to Hell, his mission accomplished. Because this was his first contract, he did not actually get to claim the soul of the one he damned, but rather it went to his supervisor, a Lord of the Pits. With this regret heavy in his heart, Kale swore to usurp the Lord’s position so he could claim Eleanor’s soul. For many years, Kale carried out his duties and climbed in rank and power. Unscrupulous in his ways, Kale caused the downfall of many great civilizations, including the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty, as well as causing many wars, such as the Greek invasion of Troy and the Punic Wars. Many deaths and much tragedy stained Kale’s hands, but he hardened his heart to it so he could get Eleanor back. Eventually Kale was able to claim the title of Lord of the Pits, but he was still only a minor Lord and did not yet have the ability to overtake his old supervisor. This did not satisfy Kale, for he still did not possess the one soul he cared about. Because Kale was not the most physically gifted Demon, he decided that he must outwit the other Lord if he were to claim his prize. Thus marked the beginning of Kale’s utilization of his true gift, the power of deceit and manipulation.
Through extensive planning and manipulation, Kale became one of the most powerful Demons in Hell, though he easily managed to conceal this fact. Kale’s power did not lay in raw strength or number of followers, no, he held much greater powers: knowledge and trickery. Kale controlled the most extensive web of information in the underworld while carefully keeping it from being traceable back to him. With his vast network of intelligence and his sharp mind, Kale was able to see patterns that no other being was privy to. He was able to predict the moves of other Demon Lords almost before they could think to make them. Although able to predict his adversaries so easily, Kale still lacked enough substantial power to actually defeat them. It was for this reason that he turned to an art forbidden even amongst Demons, consuming souls to gain magical power. It was taboo for a Demon to consume the souls of mortals they had acquired for several reasons, primarily because it spurred the wrath of Heaven, but also because a Demon’s influence was oft measured by the number of souls they possessed. Kale cared for neither of these; if Heaven obliterated Hell, then so be it – he had no plans to stay once he reclaimed Eleanor’s soul.
With his new powers, Kale was able to challenge and defeat the Lord of the Pits that controlled Eleanor’s soul, but this was not enough for him to claim it; he had made an enemy of most of Hell with his methods, so the other Demon Lords joined together to cast Kale out of Hell. Despite his vast knowledge, Kale did not expect a unanimous decision among the other Lords so quickly. His plan was foiled, but his goal only delayed. He still had connections, plots, and deceptions. Assuming a new guise with his now profound illusion magic, Kale rejoined the ranks of Hell as an ordinary Demon. None realized that he was out of place, or if they did, they did not care. Kale quickly rose through the ranks, demonstrating enough power to set him above others in his station but not enough to arouse suspicion. In doing this, Kale gained a much greater understanding of how to read others and put this information to use. When he finally once again claimed the title of Lord of the Pits, Kale was much better equipped to carry out his plan of reclaiming Eleanor’s soul.
Before trying anything this time, Kale carefully began to prepare contingencies for every possible scenario he could think of that might go wrong. After many long years of preparation and planning, Kale had somehow managed to not only engrave magical runes throughout the entirety of Hell, but he also concealed them from the eyes of other Demons; even powerful magics were unable to detect his handiwork. In addition to his massive rune project, Kale also created three simulacra, beings that effectively amounted to lesser clones of himself. Kale had each simulacrum take on a different persona, much as he did long ago, and gain positions of power. The simulacra each developed their own personalities, false histories, and agendas, sometimes at odds with Kale’s own goals, but they always remained ultimately loyal to him, even if to outside eyes they seemed to be at one another’s throats. With his planning complete, Kale finally moved to reclaim Eleanor’s soul.
The struggle was brief, Kale’s foe falling easily at his hands. The succession was acknowledged amongst the other Lords; if one could not defend himself against his foes, then he did not deserve to hold power, or life. Kale’s decision to spare the life of the Lord he had beaten was controversial amongst the other Lords, but they accepted his reasoning – Kale did not need corpses, he needed minions. In exchange for his life, Kale demanded obedience from the Demon he had defeated, Zaphizal. Reluctantly the defeated Demon agreed, and in time became Kale’s trusted lieutenant. After Kale had claimed the soul he had sought for so long, he wanted nothing more than to restore her. But doing so would raise suspicion amongst the other Lords, so he had to bide his time until he could find a way to do it secretly. After many years of research, Kale found what he had been looking for and decided that it was time for him to disappear from Hell. In order to bring Eleanor back, he would have to go to a very special location in the mortal world; the Demon Well, where the souls of Demons are restored to life (albeit at the lowest rank and stripped of their previous powers), would be able to bring Eleanor back, but not without the notice and ire of every other Lord. Kale named Zaphizal his heir and faked his death at the hands of angels, so that the Demons would not be able to restore him to life with the Demon Well.
In the mortal world, Kale found the place that the humans had dubbed ‘The Fountain of Youth.’ This place held great restorative powers, able to revitalize those who drank its waters, able, even, to restore youth. It would be a great loss, for to restore the dead to life would drain the fountain of all of its magical energy. This was but one more sacrifice Kale was willing to make to bring back Eleanor. As he called upon the healing powers of the fountain, Eleanor’s soul was given flesh once again and she lived, but not all was as Kale had foreseen. Eleanor was horrified by what Kale had done to bring her back; as a soul, she was tortured by being forced to watch the atrocities that Kale committed in her name. The ordinarily calm and tranquil Eleanor was furious with Kale and devastated at the thought that it was her fault that these horrors came to pass. In a fit a sorrow, she threw herself into the waters of the fountain as the weakened magical energy caused it to collapse. Kale had succeeded to bring back his love, only to find he had become someone that went against everything she was. Kale was ashamed with himself and vowed to redeem himself, though he knew not how he could.
In his search for redemption, Kale found a way to tear reality with his magic, creating a bridge between this reality and alternate realities. With the new knowledge, hope formed in Kale that in some alternate world, he could find a version of Eleanor that still lived and did not despise him. At first, Kale could only form small tears, not large enough for him to travel through but sufficient to cause damage wherever he tried to open the portal. Eventually, after causing much magical decay in various locations, Kale ripped an adequately sized hole to travel though, and found himself in a new reality.
Ah, but that is a story for another time. Suffice to say that Kale learned much and came back a different person… and not alone, though it was not Eleanor that accompanied him.
Upon his return to his home reality, Kale got into a vicious fight with his otherdimensional companion, one that neither truly won. In the end, Kale retreated, though his exhaustion got the better of him soon after and he collapsed. Upon waking, Kale looked around himself in wonder. He had no memory of the place he was in. In fact, he had almost no memory at all. For some reason, he felt at peace with this discovery, as if it was normal to remember next to nothing. He could remember that he was on Earth, a basic history and geography, when it was, and other such things, but he had no memory of himself beyond his name and that he was a Demon and must hide that fact. After many years of travel and exploration, Kale began to regain fragments of himself. He was not nearly as sharp as he once was, but his mind was rapidly improving from the empty shell it had been when he awoke. He easily developed magical abilities once again, especially illusory ones. While his personal history was still a blank slate, Kale was beginning to reawaken his lost powers. Though originally at ease with his lack of memories, Kale has recently begin to worry that something terrible was the cause of the loss, and that scares him. He tries to be the best person he can be in hopes that whatever might have caused his memory loss can be atoned for, if it does in fact require atonement. One day, Kale received a letter inviting him to attend the Magic Mist Academy. Kale decided to take up the offer and has attended the Academy for a full year, now.
♫No secret deceptions for these would stare us down.♫
Other:
”What else, what else. I’ve got a slight, minor case of amnesia, if you hadn’t caught on to that, yet. That’s about all.“
Though he has forgotten his history, Kale has still been shaped by it. He it not a normal Demon, he is kind and compassionate. He often uses his amnesia as an excuse for things, but it does not hinder him nearly as much as he lets on.
Kale also has an invisible rune on his back that prevents any sort of detection abilities from working on him. Although the rune has been tainted and now holds a powerful evil spirit, though, and with enough skill, instead of simply failing, someone might be able to see into the spirit’s mind.
Better Luck Next Time, Prince Charming
This is a more detailed version of a
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true.♫
Chizikaru, the Angel, had gained their trust. Had gained her trust. But Kale was always suspicious of him. In this land things were different, his demonic heritage had less connotations than where he was from, but it was still odd that an Angel accepted him so easily. And now, Kale knew why. Chizikaru was powerful and cunning, he managed to outmaneuver Kale, a feat that none before had accomplished. And now he had her, the princess – no, the queen, now – in his grasp. She had been stolen away while her two most loyal guardians were away, only days after reclaiming the throne. But that, too, was just a set up. Chizikaru had made himself out to be a hero, helping to regain the throne, but he was really the one behind the coup that stole kingdom from the royal family. But he was too confident; he left a note behind, inviting the two remaining heroes to his tower to try to retake her. Kale still wasn’t sure what the Angel’s plot was, but he knew that this invitation was a trap. But there was no choice, the princess – queen – must be saved.
♫Shadows dance around me as I race alone♫
”This is all your fault! You said it had to be us to go! If I had been there…. If you had been there!” Kale’s companion roared. He was not happy to find out that his love was stolen. Kale understood his frustration; he was upset, himself, at allowing this to happen. There was a glint in the Hero’s eyes, a glint that Kale knew all too well. Rage. Hatred. Thirst for battle. Kale leapt back just in time, a sword slicing the air where he had been a mere moment before. ”I am not your enemy! We must find Chizikaru! Together, we can take her back!” Kale knew reason would not work, nor did he think that he would be able to take Chizikaru without the Hero’s help. The only option was to flee from him, let him cool down, and then talk to him. So Kale left, letting the Hero stew in his rage. Upon his return, Kale found that the Hero had left, probably to set out alone to save the girl. That idiot! Kale knew that none of the heroes could fight one another and escape unscathed; and this situation was made worse because Chizikaru would be ready for them. Feeling rage boil inside of him, Kale set out for the Angel’s tower – the Iron Tower, as it was called, said to be impenetrable.
♫I will never rest until she's in my arms [until she’s in my arms]♫
The Hero had only recently warmed up to the girl, who always had eyes for him. Kale envied him, for she was so similar to her mother, the spitting image of Eleanor. Of course, that was exactly why the Hero resented the girl at first; he had loved her mother, but the previous queen had fallen for Kale. They never married, and the queen did not know who the father of the princess was; someone had forced themselves upon the queen and she ended up with child. Of course, with Chizikaru’s true colors shown, Kale was able to figure it out. The queen died after giving birth, her life taken by Kale’s own hand at her request, so only Kale knew the child’s secret; the princess, now queen, was half Angel, fathered by the one who stole her away. Kale, wanting the girl to live a normal life, used an ancient, forbidden ritual in order to seal the girl’s Angelic heritage. It worked, and the girl lived as an ordinary human, well, as ordinary as a princess is. Kale promised the late queen that he would care for her daughter, that he would always protect her. He couldn’t fail, this time. He had been responsible for the death of the two people he cared most for, he was not going to add a third.
♫So close and yet [so far away] so far away♫
Kale knew exactly where the Iron Tower was. He had seen it several times before, though he had never been inside. Chizikaru had claimed that it had been sealed, but now Kale knew that to be a lie; it was to be the final battleground for the heroes, and Chizikaru wanted to deprive his foes of any knowledge they might gain about it. The other hero would also know how to find the tower, but he would not be as cautious as Kale. No, he would simply charge in headfirst and take on whatever came his way. Kale was smarter than that, he knew Chizikaru would lay traps. Kale would be ready; he immediately began to carve a magic rune, something to protect him from the Angel’s prying eyes. Upon finishing the rune, Kale gritted his teeth. This was going to hurt. Kale placed his hand upon the rune and began reciting the words to bind it to his flesh. Upon finishing the incantation, there was an excruciating pain on Kale’s back as the rune carved itself into his flesh. One redeeming quality of this ritual was that the rune would be hidden. After a few moments, the pain started to fade, the imprinting complete. Getting up from the floor – Kale had collapsed from the intense suffering – the Demon began to make his way to the Iron Tower, careful to avoid any potential traps.
♫A simple kiss to bring her back , to make this story end♫
None of this was supposed to happen. The princess was supposed to come of age, claim full control of the kingdom from the council, and live happily with her three heroes by her side. Kale had already planned the wedding, knowing that it was only a matter of time before his friend proposed to her. Chizikaru, being an Angel, would preside. Kale would play the part of best man and maid of honor – the princess had woefully few friends, and fewer still of the female persuasion. The date was set, the preparations made. Everything was kept secret from the two lovebirds. Kale had the timeline plotted out already; the proposition would happen in exactly forty-two days, the wedding would be exactly three months from that point, and during the honeymoon, the council would temporarily run the kingdom. Kale knew his friends so well that he was able to figure out when everything would occur; he would be willing to bet his life on the date of the proposition, possibly even the hour – between seven and eight in the afternoon, as the sun was setting. But now everything was ruined. The happiness Kale had foreseen for the new queen had been shattered by someone pretending to be their friend.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
The kingdom had fallen to a coup staged by a section of the nobility unsatisfied with the late queen’s peaceful ways. Kale managed to save the queen’s life and spirited her away. For several years, Kale and the queen tried to devise a peaceful way to reclaim the throne, but nothing would work and the queen refused to resort to violence. Eventually the queen died and Kale was left with a newborn child to raise. Upon the child’s thirteenth birthday, she resolved to take back the kingdom, even if she had to use force; the nobles that were now in charge were destroying the land with war. Kale and the princess set out to raise an army of those loyal to the royal family. After a year, they met another who was doing the same, a man who seemed to be a knight in shining plate armor – Chizikaru. He had heard that the princess was seeking to reclaim the throne and had gathered any who would join the cause. The knight commanded thousands loyal to the princess by this point, and was charismatic enough to gather more. The princess wholeheartedly accepted his help.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale, however, was not as willing to accept the knight, he had fought those who wore similar armor – Angelic armor. This knight was no ordinary man, he was an Angel. Kale distrusted Chizikaru not because he was an Angel, but because Kale was a Demon; the Angel should be able to tell this with no trouble, but he did not seem fazed in the slightest. In this land, Heaven and Hell had an uneasy truce, so there was not open war between the Angels and Demons as there was where Kale was from, but they still did not get along. Kale’s Demonic nature made him uneasy around the Angel, and the same should have been true for the other, but not only did he not seem uncomfortable, he seemed to enjoy Kale’s company. Kale shared his suspicions with the princess, but she thought that he was worrying too much. The Angel had gathered an army for her and was obviously dedicated to her cause. Kale could not argue with those points and begrudgingly accepted the knight, who quickly became one of the princess’s most trusted advisors.
♫Come and claim your, come and claim your, come and claim your queen♫
Thoughts of the past welled up unbidden in Kale. The Angel had fooled them all. Even Kale, toward the end of the fight for the kingdom, began to respect the Angel. Kale still could not help but respect him – he was a brilliant warrior and tactician; Chizikaru even managed to best Kale in wits, now. Trying to put thoughts of the past out of his mind, the Demon paused as a forest loomed ahead of him. The Tower was beyond, that much Kale knew, but this forest should not have been here. It had only been a few years since Kale had last seen the Iron Tower, which was surrounded by barren lands. But now there was a lush, lively forest surrounding it. It had to be a trap, but how so eluded Kale. He knew better than to rush in without preparation; the Angel had outsmarted him once before, Kale wasn’t going to let it happen again. Kale began a divination spell, to cast his senses out to search for the Hero that would assist him, willingly or not, in rescuing the young queen.
♫Come and claim your, come and claim your, come and claim your queen♫
The Hero had rushed off shortly after Kale had left him alone. He had seen the Iron Tower before. More than that, he had stood at its top at one time, facing supreme judgment. That was a long time ago, though. Now, the Hero would be invading the Tower to take back his love. Nothing would stand in his way. He had seen Chizikaru fight and knew that he could beat him. And, of course, Kale would be there, too. Kale and the hero always had each others’ backs, even after not seeing one another for over a dozen years. There was no way the two friends could lose against Chizikaru. The Hero arrived at the forest. Nothing had changed since the last time he had been here, the forest still teemed with life as it always had. As long as he followed the path, there should be no trouble reaching the Tower unthreatened. The Hero looked around for the path, but was unable to find it. The Angel must have done something in preparation. Oh well, the Hero could take anything the Forest of Death could throw at him.
♫The wild beasts are ravenous♫
Kale located the Hero; he had also made it to this forest, but did not seem disturbed by it. The Hero had always been overconfident, so it was not a surprise that he would be so here, but their current foe was the greatest they’d ever face. And the possible price of a mistake or failure, the life of the queen, was too much to pay. Kale wanted to go to the Hero to inform him of this, but knew that it would not matter. He steeled his resolve and entered the forest. It had been quiet until Kale set foot into the trees, but now it was roaring with life. The howls of wolves, roars of lions, and sounds of things far more terrible could be heard. Kale cast a quick spell to hide him from detection and began to navigate to the center of the forest, where the Tower should be. The task was much easier said than done, as the forest was thick with trees and undergrowth and seemed to twist and move around the Demon. Getting lost would be an easy task, here, so Kale had to be careful not to lose track of himself. There was illusory magic at work, but Kale could see through it. As good as the Angel may be, none could best Kale at illusions. The trees really were moving, but not the way they appeared to be. The creatures were real, but the directions of the sounds were not. They were prowling, looking for food, and unable to find any because of the magic. Kale had no doubt that they would be led inevitable to either himself or the Hero.
♫They will soon devour you♫
The Hero entered the forest and suddenly it sprung to life, just as he knew it would. Without a safe path, he would have to fight through all manner of beasts, both magical and not, before reaching the Tower. All the better to whet his blade. The path gone, it would be nearly impossible to reach the Tower without first going through the guardians of the forest. The Hero drew his sword, ready for the battle that lay ahead. He could hear the differences that the beasts could not – what sounds were real and which were fake. Everything would converge upon him, it seemed. Kale had either not yet made it, or was hiding from battle as he normally did. It mattered not, the Hero did not need help in this forest. He was not as powerful as the last time he had been here, but he was still strong enough to defeat even the most powerful of creatures here. The Hero stopped and adopted a battle stance. And then, it began. Frenzied masses of teeth and claws descended upon him from all sides, tearing at anything they could get to, indiscriminate between friend and foe. The Hero was quick enough to dodge, block, or outright slaughter anything that got close. Nothing in this forest posed a threat to him. No, this was merely a ploy to drain his stamina.
♫Dark howls echo bitter cries♫
Kale heard the sound instantly, blade cleaving through fur, flesh, and bone. The Hero had, of course, attracted every single creature in the forest within a few moments. Kale could only think of one being that could draw more danger than his friend – the queen. Kale debated a moment on whether or not to assist the Hero in the battle; he knew that his friend was an excellent fighter and should be able to handle himself, but he also did not dare underestimate Chizikaru’s trickery. There was only a moment of hesitation before Kale set off in the direction of the fight. He was cautious to not lose track of the Tower; he doubted that the Hero would know how to get to it after the fight was over. It was hard enough to keep one’s bearings without focusing upon a combat. Kale tried to sort out the sounds he heard, trying to determine which side had the upper hand. His task was impossible, however, due to the disturbance the magic in the forest created. Kale stopped a moment and cursed – a thing he rarely did – as he realized he had lost the way to the Tower. Trying to recover his sense of direction, Kale noticed that the forest seemed to be calming down; he could see the Tower in the distance, now.
♫But they fall upon deaf ears♫
It was easy to maneuver through the forest, now. The longer the fight went on, the less everything moved. As Kale neared the battle, he noticed that, aside from the fight, the forest was completely still and silent. It was almost as if the creatures, themselves, projected the illusion, not Chizikaru. Kale observed the Hero from afar for a few moments, noting the how the surroundings changed as he killed more and more of the beasts. Kale determined that either the Angel tied the magic of the forest to its inhabitants, or that somehow the creatures or the forest had gained some sort magic of their own. Either way, the result was the same. Only around the Hero and the swarm of beasts he fought was their motion, now. The Hero did not seem to be having any problems, so Kale took off in the direction of the Tower. Even if he did try to help, the Demon was unsure whether the Hero would want it. If he was still in a rage, he might even attack Kale. It was better to let the Hero have his fight. Kale would instead examine the Tower and try to develop a plan.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
Kale arrived at the Tower swiftly now that the magic faded from the forest. The Iron Tower was a massive structure, easily a dozen stories tall, made of what appeared to be pure iron; on top of the Tower was a familiar form, the Angel Chizikaru. Kale noticed powerful magic emanating from it, protective barriers to ward against assault and intrusion. Teleportation spells would result in being ripped apart, at best. Attempting to scale the Tower would activate its defenses and probably kill even Kale. Kale had two options; begin stripping away the defenses or ascend the Tower from the inside. With this level of magic protecting the outside, the Angel obviously planned for the heroes to scale the interior, meaning there would no doubt be many perils within. It would be safest, even if time-consuming, to peel away the protective layers. As Kale was about to begin his word, the Hero arrived. ”Chizikaru has enchanted the Tower, I’m going to break the spells so we can get to him without going through the Tower.” Kale told his friend. The Hero shook his head. ”No, the Tower existed long before it fell under his care. This magic is older and more powerful than him. The only way up is in.” The Hero responded.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale could not reason with the Hero, though the former was certain of his ability to remove the wards on the Tower, the latter refused to believe it. The Hero entered the Tower as Kale began the rituals necessary to strip the Tower of its magic. Time might not be on their side, but they could not afford to weaken themselves unnecessarily, either. If the Hero refused to listen to reason, then at least Kale would be uninjured for the final confrontation. Kale was fairly certain that the Angel had no plans to harm the queen, not until after he had dealt with the heroes, at least. There would be no sense in prolonging anything he would do to her, unless he was waiting until they either arrived or were defeated. Kale was almost sure that he and his friend could take as long as they wanted and nothing would befall the hostage. Kale did not know if she was merely bait to draw them in, or if the Angel had another plan for her; either way, Chizikaru could not bring harm to her before the heroes arrived, if he wanted to use her to bait them.
♫Come and claim your queen!♫
The Hero was prepared to face the true test of the Iron Tower; climbing the twelve floors. The Forest of Death outside was merely a deterrent for the weak, the true trial were the twelve Guardians of the Tower. The last time the Hero was here, he was a prisoner facing judgment and did not have to fight his way to the top, but he still remembered the Guardians. Each was a former general of either Heaven or Hell, sent here to protect the sanctity of the Chain of Being. But that was in the past, now. The Hero knew that the old Guardians would have been replaced by Chizikaru’s own, handpicked, soldiers. No more was this place sacred, defiled as it was by his hands. The Angel had not truly changed, but his goal was lost upon the Hero. There was nothing that could be accomplished here by a human girl. After the Hero and his Demon friend killed Chizikaru, the chain would need a new protector. The Hero would never be trusted for the task, nor did he want it. But Kale was the perfect candidate. The Hero would be sure to bring it up to his friend after this ordeal was over. Steeling himself, the Hero prepared himself to face the twelve Guardians.
♫You're pathetic, what good do you do♫
”Ah, so you decided to join me alone, have you? Surely you are not foolish enough to think you could stand a chance against me alone.” Chizikaru taunted the Hero, battered and bloody from the battle to the top of the Tower. ”And yet, here you are. Did you think I would just hand the queen over to you once you got here? No, you will have to take her by force, if you want her back, my old master. And when you fail, I will finish what you started all those years ago.” The words dripped like venom from the Angel’s mouth, wounding the Hero deeper than any of the Guardians could have ever hoped to. But all of that was in the past. The Hero had changed. He was a defender, now, not a destroyer. He looked around to be sure his love was unharmed and saw the queen laying on a stone slab, bound to it by a chain. ”You used the Chain of Being to bind a prisoner? Have you no respect? No, of course you don’t. I was a fool to think you had changed. You were more zealous than even I was. This ends now. I will kill you, and our friend Kale will become the next Keeper of the Chain. Under his care, no fool will ever think they could break it.” The words flew from the Hero’s mouth with a cutting edge, sharper than steel. The Angel did not even flinch, though. He had prepared for all of this. He knew the Hero would make it this far, but he would have also expected the Demon. The Hero knew he could only stall until his friend came to his aid. This was not a fight either of them could win alone.
♫She had faith in me, I was her only escape♫
The Angel did not seem to be in a hurry to fight the Hero, perfectly content to just wait. This made little sense to the Hero; Chizikaru had to have known that Kale would also be coming, so he should want to try to defeat the Hero before his reinforcements arrived, unless the Angel, too, was stalling for time. The Hero’s eyes wandered to the Queen briefly. That must have been it, the Angel must have done something to her, perhaps some ancient ritual to drain her life to weaken the chain. There was no rush to beat his enemies, he just had to buy enough time; that was why the Angel waited. The Hero felt anger growing in him. He was not going to let his love die for such an evil purpose. He would not let the Angel manipulate him into allowing it to happen. The Hero brandished his sword in challenge. Chizikaru may have been a fallen Angel and a dishonored knight, but he still had his own sense of honor. He would not turn down a challenge, especially not from the one who taught him swordsmanship.
♫A most deep and subtle poison♫
”Oh, a challenge, is it? You know you can’t beat me. Why not wait for your friend to come? Or do you not know that he won’t be? Such a tragedy when your friends abandon you, isn’t it?” The honeyed, placating words fell upon the Hero and for a moment, he doubted. No, Kale would come. The Angel was trying to dissuade the Hero, to buy more time. This was but one more trick in his repertoire. The Hero merely smiled and charged at the Angel. Their blades met, and the Hero realized that he had used more energy than he thought to get through the Guardians. He was unable to push the Angel’s sword back at all. With a slight tsk, Chizikaru pushed back, but instead of the Hero losing ground, his sword was cleaved in half, almost as if the Angel’s sword was cutting through butter. The Hero backed away, not out of fear, but out of shock. He stared at the sword for a moment before he realized it was made out of metal. Of course, he had left his good sword in his chambers at the castle; the queen insisted he not carry it around in times of peace, due to the symbolism it held. There was no way the Hero could hope to fight against his enemy like this. But he could not relent. No, he had to do anything he could to wear down this opponent.
♫Welcomes her unblinking eyes to eternal sleep♫
”Oh, was that not the sword your mother gave to you? Or was it your father? A shame, taking that away from you would have made my victory here all the sweeter. But perhaps it is better this way. After all, I can make it mine after I kill you here.” Chizikaru taunted the hero, aiming to shatter his spirit as well as his sword. The Hero gripped what was left of his sword tighter. His foe knew exactly how to get to him. They knew one another too well, once being master and student. No attempts to calm himself worked, and the Hero flew in a blind rage toward the Angel. Every blow was parried, leaving less and less sword for the Hero to use, until, finally, all that was left was the hilt. The Hero staggered back, having received several cuts from the exchange. If he could rest, the Hero could recover enough to stand a chance against his enemy, but that was not an option with the queen’s life at stake. Nothing he did had any effect on the Angel, though. He tried to decide if he could wait until Kale arrived, or if it would be too late by then to save his love. ”Hesitating, are we? How unlike you. You don’t have much time left before she dies, you know. I can promise you that at this rate, she will be dead by the time this fight is over, one way or another.”
♫If I had shown, she would be mine♫
”You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You thought you could split us up, plant doubt in our minds. You were wrong. You haven’t done anything to the queen. You couldn’t. You needed her to bring us here. A dead hostage does nobody any good.” Kale claimed, finally arriving at the top of the Tower. It seemed that it had taken him a little bit longer than his friend, but he was in much better shape. The two friends shared a look and the Hero nodded. Kale turned toward Chizikaru and offered a challenge. He could hold him off long enough for his friend to rest up a little bit. Kale drew his sword and attacked the Angel, not trying to cause harm, rather, trying to consume as much attention as possible. Many swift, light blows would keep him on guard in case one blow came with more force. Kale’s plan worked, for a moment, until his foe saw through it and forced Kale back with an offensive of his own. The two locked swords again and again, neither causing harm to the other. After a few more skirmishes, Kale retreated from the fight; the Angel let him, almost seeming bored. Kale had bought enough time. Now, the two friends would fight together.
♫Who is the fairest of all?♫
As the Hero and Demon prepared to launch a united assault, the Angel held up a hand, as if parley. ”Hold a moment. I think it is time to let you know you were brought here.” The Angel said calmly, gesturing to the woman bound by chain. ”My old master knows this, but I don’t think the foreigner does. This is the Chain of Being, the focal point of the magic that flows through Heaven and Hell. There is a ritual to break it, requiring the sacrifice of an Angel, fallen from grace, and turned human for treating with Demons. My daughter, here, is the only such being to have ever existed. Until you entered this world, I had thought it impossible. Thanks to you, though, I can sunder the Chain and finally stop the immortals from interfering with the mortals, as the Creator intended. The battle for souls must end if there is to be peace.” The words hit hard. For Kale, the knowledge that he had been playing into Chizikaru’s plans ever since arriving here was devastating. The death of his love, the late queen, and the sealing of her daughter’s Angelic blood were all part of the Angel’s plot, and Kale had played the role assigned to him unknowingly. For the Hero, the knowledge that his love was not who he thought she was tore at him. The Hero never liked Angels, which was part of the reason he had been the first to try to break the Chain all those years ago. Finding out that his love was one of them sent him reeling.
♫Tell me again, tell me again, you know its me♫
Kale began to laugh. None of this mattered. The past was the past, and all of the Angel’s plots will have been for nothing if he was defeated here. The only thing left to do was end Chizikaru. No more intricate plots, no more talking, just a battle to the death between three friends. This was going to end today and peace would return to the land, no matter whose blood drenched the Tower. If Chizikaru won, he would break the Chain and the current order of things would shift so radically that there would likely be nothing left to cause strife. If the queen was saved, she would lead her kingdom to peace and prosperity. No matter the outcome, it would only be achieved through death. Kale grabbed something from beneath his cloak and tossed it to his friend. The Hero caught the bundle of cloth and unwrapped it, revealing two swords; an evil-looking one and the one carved from his mother’s bone. He knew he could only use the bone sword here. The other sword possessed great power, but also a great curse. It would possess the Hero and use him to kill everyone around him. If there was no other way, he would draw the sword against Chizikaru, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. The Hero drew his sword and, moving to stand beside his friend, readied himself for the final battle.
♫A simple kiss to bring her back, to make this story end♫
The two friends simultaneously began to change. From the Hero’s back sprouted Dragon wings and his skin took on a slightly scaly appearance. His nails grew into dagger-like claws as his teeth became razor-sharp fangs. Kale smiled as a single bat wing grew out from his right shoulder blade while three spider legs grew from the left side of his back. The two held their swords up, pointed at the Angel. He still remained in human form. The heroes waited a few moments for their opponent to unleash his power, but he didn’t, instead staring at the Dragon. He had never known that his old teacher was half-Dragon; he had assumed that his eternal youth was a side-effect of his divine punishment. Kale looked to his friend and they silently agreed to force the Angel to release his power. The two charged and quickly began to overwhelm the Angel, until he drew a second sword, seemingly out of nothing. For a few moments, the Angel held the two heroes at bay, but they were slowing gaining the advantage. ”Enough of this!” Chizikaru roared, quickly retreated from the heroes’ onslaught. Angelic wings burst from his back and a halo formed over his head. The twin swords he held flared with holy fire. The Angel was at his full strength, now, and flung himself at the heroes, easily overpowering them.
♫Not all knights in shining armor can make your dreams come true♫
As Kale was thrown back from the Angel’s assault, his hands reached out, as if to grab onto something. He managed to get a hand on something, but it was not solid and he merely took it with him as he was sent flying backwards. As he hit the ground, the object Kale had grabbed onto slid out of his hand and off the side of the Tower, falling to forest floor below. The Hero, seeing the Angel’s true power, began to lose hope. He knew that Kale would not be able to keep up with this. He reached to draw his other sword, the only hope they had of winning this fight, only to realize that it was gone. He cursed under his breath, realized that Kale must have accidentally snatched it away when he was pushed back. There was only one other option; though it was less dangerous for the ones the Hero cared about, it was also less likely to be able to defeat the Angel. The Hero sheathed his sword and crouched. Chizikaru took this as surrender and moved to end the Hero’s life. Suddenly, the Hero exploded outward, the mere human form he had been assuming giving way to the massive Dragon that he really was. The Angel paused for a moment, not expecting this, and was immediately slammed into by the Dragon’s tail. Recovering himself, the Angel fought the Dragon as an equal, until the both wounded the other; the Angel barely missed the Dragon’s heart with his blade, while the Dragon sliced the Angel’s gut with a claw.
♫He's not quite as charming as he may seem♫
Kale stood up and saw the battle happening above the Tower. Both the Hero and Angel had taken flight and were clashing in the air, until they managed to get a good blow in on one another. The Dragon fell from the sky, briefly landed on the edge of the Tower, and then fell to the ground. The Angel landed on the Tower’s surface and faced Kale. He did not seem happy with being wounded. The two friends put up much more of a fight than he had expected. The Angel was weakened from the injury he received from the Dragon, but he was still too much for Kale to handle. Chizikaru wasted no time in attacking the Demon, who could barely defend himself from the frenzy of blows. Even with his three spider legs to help block, Kale could not match the Angel’s combat prowess. A cut here, a nick there. At this rate, Kale would die. He should have spent more time preparing for this, but it was too late, now. There was no way he could have imagined Chizikaru would be this powerful. If he had managed to keep hold of the Hero’s Demonic sword, he might have had a chance. An idea formed in Kale head at that though, and, instead of deflecting the Angel’s blows, he let himself take a direct hit, using his sword to block. The sword snapped in two and Kale was injured, but his plan worked and he was knocked away, off the edge of the Tower. Chizikaru would think he had won and begin the ritual. Kale would have to hurry.
♫We'll make your dreams come true♫
Kale hit the ground with a thump and immediately looked around for the sword. He quickly found it and picked it up. In his brief look around, he did not see the Hero, but there was a trail of blood leading to the Tower entrance. His friend must not have enough power to hold his Dragon form, anymore, and was going to try to climb the Tower to fight on, anyway. Kale admired his determination, but promised himself it would be unnecessary this time. Kale took a shaky breath as he held the Demonic sword; he was not entirely sure he could control it, but he knew he would have a better chance then the Hero would in his condition. This was the only chance they had to win. This was the only option. Kale slow unsheathed the sword and felt power flowing through him. Kale grew fearful for a moment as the power began to overflow from him. A second wing grew from his back, along with three more spider legs. The fear changed to triumph as Kale took on his Demon form for the first time since coming to this world. The sword’s power merged with his own to catalyze the transformation. If Kale knew that this was all that was needed to regain his full power, he would have taken the sword from the Hero long ago. But that didn’t matter now. With inhuman speed, Kale ascended the side of the Tower, almost teleporting to the top. He smiled wickedly at the Angel before him as he raised the Demonic sword.
♫We'll make your dreams come true♫
The fight that ensued lasted only a few moments. Kale fought with sword and magic, assaulting the Angel with his arcane might while defending himself from blows with sword and spider leg. Kale was toying with the Angel, knowing he could end it at any time. He no longer wanted to just kill his enemy, he was going to torture him, give him a slow, painful death. A wicked light glowed in Kale’s eyes as he embraced his Demonic nature and tormented the Angel. Limb by limb, the Angel lost small parts of himself. Kale did not stop until nothing remained but twisted, ruined meta and a pile of flesh sitting in a pool of blood. He heard a door open and turned to see the Hero, who had just managed to arrive at the top of the Tower. What a useless hero he is. Kale thought maliciously. He couldn’t save the queen. He couldn’t save himself. He didn’t even deserve to live. Kale took a step toward the Hero before realizing something was wrong. Why did the Hero need to die just because he could protect everyone? That didn’t make any sense. Kale’s back began to burn as he came to his senses, the rune finally able to fully contain the evil spirit that possessed the blade. As Kale regained his senses, he sheathed the sword. It was over. The Angel was dead and the queen rescued.
♫Come and claim your queen♫
As the two heroes approached the queen, Kale realized that the ritual had already taken place. He could feel the magic weaving around the queen and the Chain. Chizikaru had already completed the ritual before they had arrived here! Kale tried to see some way to unravel the spell, but that was impossible. The Chain would be broken and the only thing that could prevent it was the death of the one it was wrapped around. Tears welled in Kale’s eyes. The Hero was saying something, trying to pull at the Chain. He didn’t realize that there was no saving this girl anymore. The person Kale had raised since she was but a babe would have to be taken from this world. The one the Hero had fallen in love with would be no more. But it must be done. Kale placed a hand on the Demonic sword. The Hero, Draco, was finally able to claim the queen Natalia, his love. But it was a bittersweet moment. Kale would be forced to end her. Everywhere he went, he brought tragedy to the people he cared about. ”I’m sorry, Natalia. I’m sorry, Draco.” The words were barely out of Kale’s mouth before the sword was in the queen’s heart. Still in his full Demon form, Kale vanished, taking the sword with him. The Hero could not believe what he had just witnessed; his closest friend had done so much for Natalia, only to murder her after they had finally rescued her. He feel to his knees and grasped the queen’s hand in both of his and wept.
♫This is the last sooong!♫
Disclaimer:
*Panthers are not an actual animal. Panthera is a genus of felines, but not a species. It comprises lions, tigers (and bears, oh my! Okay, not really bears), leopards, and jaguars. Panthers are, however, a mythological creature, which is what Kale is referencing.
